Forgetting All My Ghosts
by Zebra Ink
Summary: Izzy Izaku, an American girl sent to live with her eccentric aunt in Japan, must cope with the brutal murder of her family, all the while being haunted by their killer. Will Taiki Kayashima be able to handle her ghosts AND his feelings for her? TaikixOC
1. Weird New American Girl

This is the first story I've submitted to fanfiction, so I'm a noob I guess. Taiki is my favorite character, so I'm mildly angry that he never got a love interest. He needed a girlfriend. So I typed one up. I rather hope you like it.

I don't own Hana Kimi. If I did, Kayashima would have a love interest, and it wouldn't take a bazillion chapters for Sano to finally confess that he knew Mizuki's secret.

* * *

It was a beautiful sunset, filled with hues of color I had never seen before, all resting brilliantly in a reflection on the pond outside. The bright light seemed to make everything sparkle and added warmth to my surroundings. It was true, I had never seen something so panoramic when I had lived in America, but to be honest, I wasn't really paying attention to the sunset that day. I was completely focused on unpacking my suitcase, because I knew if I stopped working, my mind would wander, and I knew I would begin crying immediately.

My hands began to tremble when I realized I was almost out of belongings to occupy myself with, but then I heard footsteps and knew my aunt was coming to try to talk to me now. I bit my lip in anticipation. I heard three unsure knocks on the door, and silently trudged over to allow her entrance. However, the moment the lock unbolted, the door slammed wide open and I was captured in a bone-crushing embrace. I squirmed around in her arms, and eventually she released me.

"Izzy…" She sobbed, and I bit my tongue, trying not to cry along with her. "Izzy you poor thing…" She whispered. It was crazy how much she resembled my mother.

"It's okay Aunt Ginny. I'll be fine, really." I tried to smile, but could only grimace. She looked personally offended.

"You have every right to cry!" She crushed my face into her neck. "Don't let anyone tell you otherwise!"

I broke away from the orange-haired woman, who had up to this point been suffocating me. The truth was, I was horribly afraid. I had never been to Japan, and now suddenly I was living here with my eccentric aunt in her small cramped house. I knew Japanese, but had never actually had a conversation with a Japanese person to practice, and on top of all that, I felt incredibly alone. I no longer had a mother and father to run to if I needed support, or a brother to protect me. I lacked my senile grandparents, and my dog was gone as well. My only remaining living relative was this woman, who was attempting to latch on to me for support once again, and I let her.

This time we both cried into each other's shoulders.

After both our tear ducts seemed to run dry, we drifted apart, both of us taking a seat on my new bed. The room was dreadfully small, and the bed itself took up half the space it offered. There was one window, but I planned to cover it up later. We regained our composure, and looked towards each other silently.

"I've enrolled you at a school called St. Blossom's. It's an all girl's school." She informed me quietly, trying to break the tension. I nodded my head in meek response. "I think you'll like it there."

"Thank you…" I trailed off, unable to think of what to say.

We both sat silently in that manner, pondering what words would feel right at the time, but neither of us could think of anything appropriate. Aunt Ginny eventually removed herself from my company with a weak smile, leaving me in my thoughts.

I would go to school on Monday. That would leave me two days to prepare myself for this ordeal and figure out my priorities. I honestly did not know what to do with myself. Without the majority of my immediate family, I felt lost. What was my purpose? I didn't know.

I began wandering around my aunt's strange little house, mystified by it's contents. She seemed to be a fan of the macabre, and the ends of my mouth twitched upwards in response, suddenly quite intrigued to be living here. I wandered into the largest room of the house, which was being used as a living room and a library, the latter more dominant. The television and couch were decorated with stacks of books and a thin layer of dust. The hard wood floors were a dark mahogany, and I imagined sliding around in my socks, something I couldn't do on the carpet of my previous residence. All the paintings on the walls were mildly creepy, and everything seemed to have that haunted mansion feel to it.

I smiled for the first time in the past two weeks; I liked my new home.

The next two days weren't hard. I summoned the nerve to clean my new room, paranoid that spiders would be under my bed, which proved to be a legitimate fear. I squeaked when I saw their nest, and Aunt Ginny certainly didn't volunteer to dispose of them. We eventually ended up paying our neighbor to squash them with a shoe. Other than that, all I did was lounge around the house, often being found in lethargic positions usually consisting of me draping myself over the furniture. I grew fond of the books in Aunt Ginny's library very quickly, consuming all the horror stories and romantic dramas, relishing their contents. I grew attached to this lazy lifestyle, and was somewhat disappointed when the school system decided to disrupt it.

The night before I would be sent to school I had set out my uniform for the next day, and snuggled into bed. Being slightly agoraphobic, I enjoyed the petite style of the house. I felt quite protected and cozy here, something I had longed to feel since the incident occurred. I dreamed that night of meeting my family again, embracing them in my arms, and never letting them go. I twirled around in the red satin dress my mother had sewn for me, and my father led the way in the grand dance. My brother danced with me and guided me, and my grandparents stopped fighting and danced together with _smiles_. Everything seemed so surreal and beautiful, but as the dream progressed on, I noticed a dark figure arrive at our ball. It loomed in the horizon, cutting the atmosphere of the dance and ripping it to shreds. It eventually began to charge at us, and stopped only meters away from where we stood. Mother and Father looked worried, and my brother held me closer, trying to shield me from what was to come. My grandparents held each other close, saying their last goodbyes and apologizing for years of arguments. The demon laughed and they all began to disappear, leaving me to stare at my oppressor. I ran away, but no matter where I ran, he seemed to follow me, always angry, always looming in the background.

The following morning I dismissed the dream from my mind, deciding that this was a chance to make a fresh start. I quickly showered and got dressed, staring solemnly at my reflection in the mirror. I was going to stick out like a sore thumb; I had my mother's and aunt's fiery red hair, cut in a girlish pixie cut, spiked in the back with all the hair gel in the world. My eyes were a bright blue, and I silently wished my brother hadn't absorbed our entire Japanese father's genetics. Pouting, I stuck the inconspicuous earrings in my ears' cartilage before sliding into the kitchen, taking advantage of the lack of friction between my socks and the wood. I planted myself in one of the two seats wedged at a small table in the kitchen, looking at my aunt expectantly. She stared back at me, still captured in the morning's slums. Finally having the epiphany I was waited for, she remembered I had no idea where the school was. She wrote down all the street names that I would need to travel there, I shook my head, and her second realization occurred: I lacked a driver's license. She hesitated for a second, wondering if it would be a short enough distance for me to walk, before dismissing it from her mind. She ran quickly to her room and shuffled into a pair of skinny black jeans and a Malice Mizer t-shirt before returning. She ran her hands through her wild red hair before stuffing it all under her helmet, and I followed her outside.

I rather enjoyed the fact that our transportation was by motorcycle, being that I always wished to own one like my brother, but was forbidden to by my parents. I found that rule quite sexist. Besides, I loved the wind bellowing against my skin, and the cool air chilling me even on the hottest days. It was already September, however, so I was required to wear a jacket.

We arrived at the school relatively quickly, and I suspect that Aunt Ginny had been sneaking over the speed limits. Several students stopped to stare at the foreigner stepping off the motorcycle, and I felt very uneasy. Showing my friendliest smile, I turned to wave goodbye to my Aunt, who in response saluted. I grinned at her childish antics and walked slowly towards the building. Several whispers could be heard around me, all referring to my American looks and rebellious entrance. I walked into the school, no longer caring that my fiery hair made me stand out as it hung in my face, barely looming over my eyes, which were a crystalline blue; I resolved that it just made me unique. I wandered into the office of the school, and asked the woman there for my transcripts. She did a double take at my appearance, and I just grinned. She arrived a few moments later with my schedule.

Isabella Izaku. Sophomore. Homeroom A-2.

I wandered around the school, almost completely lost before I found the room. I tried to walk in as inconspicuously as possible, but I still cringed when I heard gasps from some of the girls. I was a new student, and even worse, I was an American new student with almost no inherited Japanese attributes. I sighed, and heard a loud 'Oh!' from what sounded like an older voice. I turned and saw the teacher making a B-line for me, and fought the urge to run. I stood in place and let her introduce me.

"This is our new student I told you about last week. She's here all the way from the United States, and this is her first time in Japan, so let's all make her feel comfortable, okay? Do you speak Japanese well dear?" She smiled at me, and I smiled back out of reflex.

"Yes. But I don't know how well I'll be with keeping conversation." I tried out. I grinned after realizing I had said the phrase perfectly.

"Good, take a seat anywhere you want." She said happily.

I saw several pairs of eyes look hopefully at me, and I suddenly realized I was going to be quite popular for a while. I heard several whispers of 'Did you hear? She came here on a motorcycle.' and 'Look at that hair! It's so bright! Do you think it's natural?' I sighed and spotted an empty seat in the back. I lazily sat at the desk, leaning back casually with my hands behind my head, until I heard giggles. No one else was sitting like this. I instantly sat up straight at my desk and crossed my fingers. More giggles.

I sighed, looking down ashamed at myself for making a speculation already. I felt someone nudge me in the side, and out of surprise, I jumped up and squeaked. The whole room burst into laughter, but I noted that the girl next to me did not laugh. I felt my face turn red in embarrassment, and the teacher bit her lip to stifle her own laughter when she told me to sit down.

"I'm sorry." My head shot in the direction of the voice, and I realized it had been the girl next to me. I was confused.

"For what?" I whispered, trying even harder now to remain unnoticed.

"I poked you to get your attention; I wanted to introduce myself. I didn't know that you would, um, squeak…" She looked remorseful, and I honestly couldn't of summoned anger at her if I tried; She seemed too nice.

"It really isn't a big thing. I'm sort of jumpy. My name's Izaku. And yours?" I didn't want to mention my first name; She might take up the habit of calling my Izzy like my aunt already had.

"I'm Umeda Rio." She gave me her friendliest smile. "But, you only gave me your last name?" She questioned.

"I'm Izaku… Isabella Izaku." I said hesitantly. She tried out my name a few times, but kept pronouncing parts of it wrong. I knew what she was about to ask.

"Is it okay if I just call you Izzy?" She asked apologetically. I sighed and ran my hand through my hair, but despite myself, I smiled.

"Sure." And then for that second we both shared a smile, in a moment that we knew was going to cement the foundations our friendship.

That day Rio must have introduced me to everyone at school, and everybody had the same reaction. Whether it was my hair, my face and eyes, my new name, or my actions since I'd been there, everyone was fascinated by me that day. Rumors were floating about that seemed to be getting crazier and crazier every time I listened in, but I hoped that this 'Izzy Phenomenon' craze was just temporary. So far, the only person that I considered my real friend was Rio, not that other people didn't try.

Rio and I would sit at our lunch table and several people would flock to the table, claiming to be good friends with Rio. Rio would always crinkle her nose in distaste, and I would shoot her an apologetic look. Sometimes when we would be sitting at a table in the library, studying or researching something for school, we would see pairs of eyes looking at us through the bookcases. It was dreadful.

Eventually, after about a month of school, the craze died down. Everyone was used to me by now, and I was glad. I disliked the attention, and I knew it annoyed Rio, so I was very happy to relinquish my popularity. It was halfway through October when Rio came to me with the biggest grin on her face though.

"Guess what Izzy!" She beamed. I grinned, wondering what she had planned.

"Hm, Rio-chan?" I waited for her to explain.

"Osaka Gakuen is having a festival, and we're allowed to go see them compete in it!" She smiled and twirled around. I waited for her to realize I had no idea what she was talking about. "Oh! You don't know what Osaka Gakuen is, do you?"

I smiled and shook my head no.

"It's an all boy's school a little ways from here. They're having a sports festival. Please please PLEASE go with me? I could introduce you to cute guys there! I bet there's one there that would love a fiery American girl!" She attempted to bribe me, and I couldn't help but laugh.

Fiery? I thought I was pretty mellow, actually.

"Alright, alright, I'll go. However, we're going shopping first, agreed? I'm finding a wig of black hair to hide this-" I twirled a piece of my hair with my finger. "I don't want a repeat of my first day of school." I sighed, and Rio busted into laughter, and I started to laugh too.

"Ha, you think I'm joking." I smiled casually and she grinned back.

* * *

The night of the festival, Rio had arrived at my house, demanding that I wear a dress because she was planning to wear one too. I laughed at her qualm of wearing a dress alone as I rummaged through my clothes, complying to her demands. I eventually found a simple black dress that flared out considerably but not obnoxiously, and stopped at my knee. It had sleeves of black lace that still allowed you to see bits of my pale skin through it. The eccentric blood obviously ran through my veins, and I couldn't help myself; I slipped on black and white striped stockings. Black ballet flats accompanied the ensemble, and I was quite comfortable in it. Rio looked at me and frowned.

"You looked rather gothic." She grimaced, and I laughed.

"I do, don't I?" I grinned, and we both knew the outfit fit me quite well.

Rio's parents had agreed to drive us there, which I think might have hurt my aunt a bit, but she knew we both wouldn't of fit on her cycle, especially in our dresses. We arrived there when the sky was just dimming, and I enjoyed the slightly dark overcast. I followed behind Rio as we wandered around the stalls, searching for anything interesting. Rio told me she needed to see someone at the mystery activity room, and told me to feel free to wander around by myself. I complied, searching for anything unique. Then I saw it: The Ghost Photography booth.

As if some weird gravitational force was pulling me there, I almost floated towards it, a surreal expression plastered across my face. The boy operating it looked quite calm, and I noticed nobody was at his booth. A frown crept across my face, almost upset that nobody saw the jewel that this potentially amazing booth was. He stopped slouching when I approached, considering I was a new potential customer.

"How does this work?" I asked quickly, absorbed in it completely. "I mean, how can you do this? This isn't some 'stand next to a cardboard cutout of a ghost' booth is it?" I knew I was talking very quickly, but I was too excited to care. The boy must have somehow sensed my exuberance and smiled politely at me.

"No, it's nothing like that. I have somewhat of a sixth sense I suppose, and anytime I operate a camera, it allows me to place the ghosts I see with people into a medium that allows them to see the ghosts themselves." He said calmly. I grinned ear to ear.

"How much does it cost?" I smiled.

"Not much." He was being cryptic, so I simply handed him 1000 yen, which seemed to be the accepted amount.

"Erm, stand back some." He asked, holding the camera to his face.

I took a few steps back, smiling broadly and shaking with excitement. I waited for him to take the picture, but a strong gust of wind swarmed at me, lifting the black wig off my head and carrying it away, allowing my spiky red hair to be seen. I was pounded by the wind as I reached for the wig, just as I saw the camera flash. The wind lifted the wig higher out of my grasp, and I saw it fly into a nearby tree. I looked around questioningly, trying to see any sign that someone else noticed the weirdly strong wind, but no one seemed to have noticed at all except the boy. He looked perturbed at me, probably wondering whether to question the hidden wild red hair or the strange wind first. I stood over his shoulder, waiting for the picture to develop, but he seemed unaccustomed to the close human contact, so I backed off a little. I looked around, searching for the source of the wind, until I heard an almost inaudible gasp from him. I shot my head in the direction of the photo, knowing it must have been something special to make such a calm boy like him become even remotely surprised.

My jaw dropped as I gaped at the picture, tears welling up in the corners of my eyes. There, in the picture, was the dark figure that had been haunting my dreams, the demon. It was holding the wig high above my head, and I suddenly realized why I had been the only one to feel the strong wind. But, what was scarier still was that I knew the demon. I began shaking uncontrollably, all the horrible graphic memories flooding back into my mind again. The tears rolled down my face, and I heard the faint voice of the boy, asking if I was okay, before my head hit the ground and the darkness enveloped me once again.

* * *

There are obviously going to be more chapters, being that Izzy doesn't even know Kayashima's name yet and that I left it on a cliffhanger. If you click the little purple box and submit a review so I know someone actually reads it, I might type the second chapter faster... hint hint.


	2. Blow Dryer Play Things

a/n: This chapter is a little shorter than the last, but I like it. I guess. My friends have been demanding that I update this, so it's now updated. In about a week, another chapter should be up. Oh, and thanks to Savior908 for their review, and Justin, by besest buddy, who has been diligently waiting for another chapter. I hope you like it.

I still don't own Hana Kimi. Sucks. I know.

* * *

This place was nice. There was only darkness, and everything was quiet. I was alone, which I'd been feeling for months, but this place was honest and didn't try to lie to me about it. I sat lotus style on what could have been the ground, enjoying such luscious silence. After what seemed to be a few hours, I began to get restless, twirling a piece of my short hair around my finger. The quiet was refreshing, but I feared if I didn't hear noise anytime soon, my ears would grow sensitive and frail if a loud noise were to occur. I opened my mouth to speak, but became horrified when I realized nothing was coming out. Was I mute? Or was I deaf? I screamed, but the silence didn't cease. On the verge of tears, I began shouting, screaming, and screeching in a manner that should have resembled the sounds of the banshees of Ireland, but it was to no avail. About to give up, I turned around, and instead of more darkness, there was a dim white light off into the distance. With all the determination I could muster, I frantically darted towards the light, crying and panting the entire time. I was almost there, and the light was almost tangible. Giving my body one final lunge, I comforted myself in this new lightness as it enveloped my body. Everything went white, and I almost cheered with relief.

I heard voices, human voices.

I struggled to open my eyes, and once they creaked open, I immediately shut them; There was a blinding light being shined at my face. I attempted to open my eyes again, this time looking away from the horrible source of the light. I suddenly realized I was in what looked like a small room of a hospital. Almost incredulously, I attempted to sit up and look around the room, but I felt two pairs of relatively strong hands push me back down.

"Don't try to walk yet." A man with glasses gave me a stern look.

I immediately complied, trusting this man for no reason at all. I looked towards the owner of the second pair of hands, and remembered his face to be that of the psychic boy I met earlier. I briefly wondered what he was doing here before suddenly remembering it was probably due to the same reason I was here: Because I passed out. I shuddered at how uncomfortable this must have been for him, silently vowing to make it up to him somehow.

He tossed me a weak smile, the kind you would give to a child to stop from crushing their hopes as they entered a contest that was rigged. I tilted my head towards him, returning the smile.

"Hey, it's you." I grinned, and he looked confused.

"Yes…" He hesitated. "This is Dr. Umeda." He gestured to the man with the glasses, and I nodded.

"You had a little shock, and you fainted. That's all." He huffed. I wrinkled my nose.

"Dr. Umeda?" I questioned, a grin spreading across my face. "Do you know a Rio Umeda?"

The doctor's body stiffened, and he slowly turned around. A sly smile slipped across his features. I smiled triumphantly.

"She's my little sister." He responded, looking me in the eye once before turning around to face his work again. "I assume you're her friend then?"

"Yes. She was my first friend here in Japan." I smiled, and I heard the boy next to me shuffle his feet.

The boy was edging his way to the door, not wishing to stay here any longer. I bit my lip, confused as to why this would be hurtful to me. For some reason, I didn't want him to leave, and outstretched my arm to curve my slender fingers around his wrist. He looked alarmed at my actions, wondering why I wished him to stay, even though he was a complete stranger to me. I had no explanation for him, but I continued to keep my gentle grasp on his wrist. His skin felt warm, as opposed to my constantly cold skin. I even saw a shiver run it's way through his body, making him flinch from my contact.

"Thank you." I smiled at him, and I could feel my genuine happiness in his presence radiate off my body.

"For what?" He questioned naively, and I chuckled a little.

"For making sure no harm came to me in my incapacitated state. Did you carry me here all by yourself, or did you receive help?" I asked, yawning and sitting up on the little cot I was placed on.

"You're relatively light." He explained, and I smiled again.

I released his wrist and swung my legs over the edge of my little bed. I stood up, and almost fell immediately. I caught myself in time, and took a few wobbly steps towards the boy.

"I was clumsy before, but now I'm completely inept." I chuckled at my own antics, but the boy remained stone faced. His indifference hurt my mood considerably.

"I should go." He stated before bowing and exiting the room.

My bottom lip trembled and I didn't know why. I wondered if my fainting had scared him and he was upset at my immediate bubbly attitude afterwards. When was I ever bubbly anyways? I almost giggled when he called me a lightweight. I sighed, and turned to thank Dr. Umeda for making sure nothing more was wrong with me than I already knew about.

"It's not you; He just doesn't talk much." Rio's brother called as I left the room, and I knew he was grinning slyly at me. I felt myself involuntarily blush.

* * *

Rio found me immediately, considering she was already on her way to the infirmary as I was walking away from it. She squealed when I told her about my adventures. Her romantic's heart made many assumptions, and I just smiled and let her dream; We'd probably never see each other again, and if we did, he'd show no interest in me, just like before.

Rio and I left eventually, her father depositing me off at Aunt Ginny's with a confused look on his face that said 'Didn't she have black hair before?' I debated on whether to tell my aunt about my adventures or not; How would she react? I had no idea. Maybe she would be a Rio, and squeal and beam with delight with my antics, demanding to know more irrelevant details. Or, on the contrary, she could be upset about me seeing what I saw in the photograph and call the psych ward.

Oh. I forgot.

With all my frivolous little twittering around the boy, I almost forgot the circumstances that landed me in the infirmary: I was going insane. There was no possible logical explanation in the world that could describe what I saw other than insanity. Even if the boy claimed that he could show you your own ghosts just by taking a picture of you, it still wouldn't completely explain what I saw. I refused to believe that_ that man_ was still existent. Still, the superstitious part of me did not waver, and I noticed that I had been trembling. If he could follow me to the festival, couldn't he follow me here too?

I ended up innocently forgetting to tell my aunt what had happened that night; I was too busy untangling myself from the web of all the other fears and conflicts that that wicked spider had been creating in my head. I allowed myself to sleep in later than I usually did, trying to avoid consciousness so that my thoughts wouldn't wander again. The house was silent, which was both peaceful and unsettling at the same time: Where was my eccentric and loud aunt?

It was definitely not like her to sleep in; She was terrified of losing any ounce of daylight that she could be using to do something new or exciting. I both admired and resented it about her, being that she liked to drag me along for the ride, and my recent lapse of motivation prohibited me from enjoying it. I heard the front door slam, and my worries of her whereabouts ceased to exist. I cowered under the covers, praying she didn't come for me. I heard the 'Jaws' theme begin to play in my mind.

_Daaah dummmmpt._

I heard loud footsteps pounding through the short hallway. I buried myself even further under my blanket, hoping they didn't stop at my door.

_Dah dummpt._

The foot steps ceased at my door, and everything in the house was quiet. The early morning crickets outside stopped chirping. I heard the rustling of a bag outside the heavy wooden door.

_Dah dummpt dah dummpt dah dummpt dah dummpt…_

The doorknob turned and I held my breath. The pair of feet dragged themselves towards my bed, and I felt someone lean over my form.

_…dah dummpt dah dummpt dah dummpt dah dummpt…_

And then I was abruptly pushed out of my bed.

_Dah dah dumpt!_

Jaws had claimed another victim.

"Get out of bed, sleepyhead! I've got a surprise for you!" The fiery woman beamed, and I sighed. So much for sleeping in.

I reached for a pair of jeans to pull over the boxers I usually wore, but my shark-for-an-aunt slapped my wrist. I looked at her both confusedly and completely unbelievingly. Had she seriously done that?

"You don't wanna mess up your clothes, do you?" She grinned. She was so confusing.

The woman dragged me into the bathroom, holding two large brown paper bags in one hand, and me in the other. She dropped me in her porcelain bathtub, and I crossed my arms, upset with being man-handled all around the house. She pulled two boxes out of the bags, but I couldn't see their contents from my bathtub position. Aunt Ginny turned and climbed onto the edge of the bathtub, perched on it like a cat. Good thing it was bolted to the floor.

"You seemed so sad lately…" She stated calmly, staring at me with her big cat-like blue eyes. I wondered how this woman and my sensible mother could be sisters. "So, I've got something that will surefire cheer you up little lady." She smiled, pleased with herself.

Jumping off the edge of the tub, I saw her plug something into the electrical socket above the sink, and wondered what she was up to. I gaped when I saw her big surprise.

"It's… a _blow dryer_?" It sounded like more of a question than an observation.

"Yeah, aren't they great?" She played with the chord of the red heating device in her hand, motioning for me to pick up it's blue brother sitting next to her.

"You're not serious, are you?" I demanded, and she pouted, devastated that I wasn't as amazed as she. "Why would you think-"

She blasted a gust of heat at me with full force at my face. My hair flew back and lost it's tamed spikes, and my jaw dropped.

"Did you just shoot me in the face with that?" I gaped at her childish antics.

"I might've. What'cha gonna do about it?" She grinned, and I lunged for the blue blow dryer sitting next to the sink.

Turning the device on, I aimed it dramatically towards her in a twisted parody of a western showdown. We turned our backs to each other and each took three steps. We both waited.

"One…" She counted, and I could feel her smiling.

"Two…" I continued, grinning myself.

"Three!" We both shouted together before swerving around and releasing the full power of our weapons at each other.

I darted into my bathtub, using it as a cover from fire. She dashed behind the changing screen, and every so often our blow dryers would immerge out of our hiding places to shoot hot air in the other's direction.

"Stop being a coward!" I shouted at my nemesis.

"Then come out of hiding at stop fighting like a guy! Fight like a girl already!" She joked, and we both rolled out of our hiding places.

Taking advantage of the bathroom's counter space, we hopped onto the counter, continuing our fight on a higher altitude. In a mock swordfight between Peter Pan and Captain Hook, we continued our battle. I received a bad blow from the woman who refused to grow up, and I returned it back at her, letting the air whip against her face. The last hit twisted her long hair in her eyes, blocking her version momentarily. I took advantage of her lack of defenses to move closer and hit her with a gust in the stomach, making the ticklish woman giggle from the sensation.

"No fair!" She demanded.

"So is!" I shot back.

Unfortunately, my accursed cell phone began to vibrate on my hip, and I called a time out. Aunt Ginny looked disappointed, but allowed it, taking the time out of battle to play with the other settings on her blow dryer. She sat in a lotus position on the floor behind me.

"Hello?" I answered. I heard the shifting of levels of intensity in heat behind me, and I rolled my eyes.

"Erm, Izzy? It's Rio. Are you blow drying your hair?" She asked apologetically. I snatched the blow dryer from my aunt and switched it to off. I heard her sigh disappointedly behind me, but ignored her.

"No, don't worry about it. What's up?" I asked.

"Well, a bunch of us are going to see a football game at Osaka Gakuen and were hoping you would go with us. It's around five o'clock this evening if you're interested-"

"Sure, I'd love to go. What's our mode of transportation?" I asked casually, but I could hear Rio's hesitation over the phone.

"Well, everyone else is getting their own transportation and meeting up there. I asked my father to pick you up on the way there, but he's dropping me off on his way to work, and doesn't have time to drive by your house. Can you find a ride there, or should I tell my father to forget it and then we could both leave early and walk there together?" She talked quite quickly and I knew she felt guilty.

"Don't worry, I think I can get a ride." I looked down at my aunt, who recoiled from her outstretched position of sneakily reaching for the blow dryer when she noticed my looking at her.

* * *

I swerved into a parking spot behind a green minivan, stopping at the curb and switching the motor off. Pulling the helmet off and placing it momentarily on my seat, I shook my head, trying to get my hair to untangle itself from whatever crazy position it was in. I carried the helmet with me, hearing the swishing sound my dress made when any friction occurred between itself and the helmet.

I quickly found Rio, who squealed with delight at my decision to wear a dress, and introduced myself to her friends. We found relatively good seats and began chattering like the teenage girls we were. Ten minutes before the game started, I poked Rio in the arm, informing her that I was going to go buy all five of us some popcorn before the game began. I left Rio with my helmet, but brought my jacket; It was getting pretty chilly. I walked towards a concession stand, purchasing five small popcorns and let my self restraint crumble as I purchased a box of candy too. I placed it all on a nearby table I had spotted so I could put my jacket on, but I accidentally began to eavesdrop on a conversation.

"Kayashima, why don't you stay for my game tonight? Staying cooped up in that room cannot be healthy for you. Plus, you might meet a girl." A playful voice teased.

"No thank you. I have yet to meditate this evening." A familiar calm voice responded, and I shot my head in it's direction. Was it him?

Carrying my tray of junk food, I trudged towards the owners of the voices, but they had moved from their previous spot. I caught a glimpse of a bleached blonde-haired boy running off in the opposite direction, and figured he'd be easy to remember with that hair. A cartoon thought bubble appeared above my head asking 'Will I see that psychic boy again?', and I happily made my way back towards Rio and her friends. I passed out the food, making sure to hide the candy and selfishly hoarding it for myself; Childishness ran in the family. I looked towards the field as the game started, and instantly noticed something interesting: The blonde boy I planned on questioning was on the football team.

As the football game progressed, I found myself ignoring the mindless kicking of the ball, only to ponder if the ghost boy could help me solve my problems.

* * *

a/n: The blow dryer thing? Me and my mom. We just got blowdryers and were playing with them when I got the idea for this. Not one of our most mature moments.

Reviews make Kayashima happy. He senses in your aura that you want to review...


	3. Too Close For Comfort

** That school thing got in the way again; I'm sorry. :/**

** Plus, I've been chasing my own Taiki, he's been very distracting, (Random audience member throws shoe at Zebrank: THAT'S NO EXCUSE!)**

**So, yeah. Anyone wanna guess where the Casper allusion got it's origin?**

**Disclaimer: Taiki Kayashima is not mine. If he was, I would not need a mood ring. **

**Also, Hana Kimi also is not mine. If it was, Izzy would be there and Nakatsu would get a break. :)**

**Enjoy!**

* * *

I could barely pay attention to the football match at all. I felt horribly guilty that Rio and the other three were so hung up on this game, and I shared no interest whatsoever. I wasn't big on team sports; I usually preferred to rely on myself. After a while, my eyelids got heavy, and I lacked the ability to stay awake any longer. I felt myself slide down onto the bench, falling silently asleep as the rest of the crowd cheered for the players.

I felt cold and clammy, and without the comfort of a blanket, I felt very unprotected and vulnerable. My fingers felt like popsicles, and I found myself trapped in a state that wasn't quite sleep but wasn't consciousness either. My bottom lip trembled as I felt myself getting colder and colder. My immune system was shutting down, and I couldn't do anything to save it.

"Oh my gosh, look at her! She's so pale! Rio! I think she's catching hypothermia!"

I heard one of Rio's friends shouting about me far away. Rio started shaking my body, attempting to wake me, but I couldn't jerk myself into consciousness. All I could do was feel a stinging cold envelope my body, trying to eat me alive. A violent presence was trying to jerk itself into my body, and I felt very dizzy. My head ached, and I began trembling violently.

"Rio! Do something! We can't carry her individually, and together it would take too long! Help! Help! Somebody help!"

More voices yelling about me. I felt like I wanted to throw up.

"I'll take her."

This new voice felt familiar and comforting, and I wanted to go towards it. It seemed so far away. I couldn't feel any of my appendages, but I knew they were carrying me, draping my limp body in their arms and rescuing me. I felt propitious and hopeful that this person was going to make the coldness stop. I felt petrified with this horrid presence in me.

Suddenly a jolt of anger slipped through my veins, stabbing at my heart. I felt it try to take me, and make me lash out at my rescuer, but I resisted the impulse. I would NOT harm this person. I had no conscious idea of their identity, but I refused to hurt them in any way. The urge got stronger, and I felt myself begin to slip and fall over the edge. I bit back the energy and moaned out in pain. It was hurting my insides and making me crumble to pieces. I fought to bite back a scream, but couldn't hold it in and let out a wail. My eyes shot open, and my body started shaking. My lungs demanded oxygen, but it felt like a pair of icy hands were slitting my throat with their own razor fingernails. I shrieked and howled as tears run down from my eyes.

I convulsed again, and as if a vacuum had been held to my chest, I felt the force being sucked out of me, leaving me to my own free will again. I gasped for air, greedily consuming as much as I could, thankful for every breath. I felt myself getting warmer, and I regained control of my own bodily functions. I sat up after realizing I had been laying down, only to have my fluttering eyelids open to gaze upon the dark orbs owned by the psychic boy from before. I felt so confused.

I felt my bottom lip tremble, and my hands shook from the trauma of the experience. Without thinking, I reached up and wrapped my arms around the boy, clinging to him with all the strength I had left. A shiver ran through him, most likely because I was still relatively cold, and I began crying into his shoulder. I clung to him tighter and buried my head into his neck for comfort.

"What's happening to me?" I looked at him pleadingly, begging him to tell me what had just happened. His eyes looked guilty and hurt, and he hesitated on whether or not to tell me. He struggled, trying to find the right words, but even after the long pause, he still seemed to be unhappy with his linguistic choice.

"A spirit just tried to possess and kill you…" He trailed off, avoiding eye contact.

"Wh-what?" I asked, flabbergasted. This couldn't be happening.

"I… saw it the day you came to me asking for a photograph, but I didn't do anything about it. I knew it meant harm to you, but I never suspected that it would go this far. I should have done something, but I thought you'd be fine. I'm so sorry miss…" He trailed off, remembering that he didn't know my name yet.

"My name is Isabella…" I attempted to smile, but it was so fragile that it broke instantly.

"Isabella… Please. Forgive me. I don't know what you've done to make this spirit despise you so much, but I must make up for my mistake. I know it might seem like an annoyance, but I believe that I should be near you as much as possible to protect you from this foul creature. It's more powerful than any spirit I've ever come up against, but I will try my best to research the solution to dispelling this ghost. Please allow me to ensure your safety."

This boy, whose eyes seemed darker than any night sky I had ever seen, was asking for my permission to protect me. His usually calm expression was replaced by one of focus, and, to my complete surprise, it also showed signs of pleading. His dark black orbs remained locked on my icy blue ones, and I felt myself trapped in this intangible bond. I couldn't speak, but I clung tightly to his shirt, pulling myself into his chest.

"Please don't leave… I don't ever want to feel that icy numbness again… Please…" I begged into his neck, waiting for him to push me away and tell me not to get so close to him, but to my surprise, he didn't.

He instead wrapped an arm around my tiny waist and tilted my face up to look at him. My body felt vulnerable with someone this close to me, but at the same time I felt myself drawn to the warmth wafting from his body.

"I promise I'll make this right. I take full responsibility for what happened today. I will not allow the innocent to be harmed again." His eyes looked soft and kind, and I felt content leaning on him.

"Thank you Casper…" I mumbled into his neck before I fell asleep, completely exhausted from today's happenings.

* * *

"Nanba is going to shoot you." I heard a voice hiss.

"Not if he knows the circumstances of her condition." That voice I recognized as Casper's.

"Oh, yeah, 'cause he'll totally believe that you're keeping a girl in your room to protect her from a murderous ghost." The other voice said sarcastically.

"I don't want her to get hurt. It's my fault that… that thing… did this to her in the first place; I should have disposed of it at the festival when it was still a newborn. Now it's mature and learning the extent of it's abilities, and I'm certain she won't be able to handle it. I almost couldn't dispel that thing today… Nakatsu, if I leave her alone, I'm practically letting that monstrosity murder her."

Casper argued.

"Well we can't just let her stay here. This is an all guy's school if you haven't noticed Taiki, and keeping a girl locked up in here isn't going to work. What about when you go to class? What about when she goes to class? This just isn't going to work-"

"I know all this already." My mind comprehended that Casper was actually called Taiki, and I realized that he had actually lost his composure and snapped at the one referred to as Nakatsu. "I just… can't think of anything else right now. I may have to try and teach her methods of defending herself against spirits, but if this thing gets any stronger, I doubt that they'll work."

"Well we'll try, okay? But right now, we need to get her out of here. Let's wake her up."

"She's already awake." Taiki announced calmly.

I frowned, upset with myself for being caught at eavesdropping. I somewhat wished that he wasn't psychic. I sat up on the bed, and realized immediately that I had a foreign hoodie on my body. I looked at Taiki, wondering why he had placed this on me.

"You were uncomfortable and cold, so I wrapped you in it to mend your aura. It's very beautiful when it isn't being tainted." He stated bluntly, and I felt myself blush.

"What time is it? Does Rio know where I am?" I questioned.

"It's nine p.m. and no, she doesn't." Taiki said calmly.

"Nine? Oh no. I have to be back at Aunt Ginny's very soon…" It still didn't feel right to refer to Aunt Ginny's house as home yet.

"Do you require a ride?" Taiki asked, and a slight flicker of frustration crossed his face before disappearing again; He was probably mildly upset that I had to remove myself from his protection so soon.

"No, I have a motorcycle." I stated calmly, and suddenly his jaw tightened.

"Do you have any idea how dangerous those things are?" He bit back his worry to attempt to remain calm and collected, but his frustration in my making his job of protecting me from harm's way even harder was peaking. "We'll just call your aunt and have her pick you up."

"She can't; It's her motorcycle." I explained. Taiki frowned and bit his lip.

"Fine, but from now on, no motorcycle." Taiki demanded, but I shook my head.

"It's how I get to school." I elaborated. "It's my aunt's only vehicle." Taiki bit his lip harder, making it bleed.

"I need to talk to your aunt." He decided.

I imagined that encounter in my mind; It didn't go well.

* * *

It had been a month since that bittersweet night, and I still could not help but laugh after thinking about my Aunt's reaction when she saw Kayashima ride home with me on the back of her cycle with a look of pure horror on his face. She snickered, calling him too cautious before immediately inspecting him like a package, making sure his hands hadn't been in any wrong places. There hadn't been any major incidents involving my assassin since the game, but Taiki still expressed his paranoia very clearly every day when I visited him.

I sprawled myself casually across his bed, beyond content wrapped in his luscious sheets. I rolled around on the comfortable bed, receiving questionable looks from Taiki-san. I just grinned lazily and hugged his pillow as he stared at me from his lotus position on the floor. I watched him breathe in and out, attempting to concentrate so he could meditate. His posture was amazing as he stood perfectly still on the floor. I frowned, remembering my own horrible posture and lack of grace. I realized how much I envied him before smothering the jealousy with a pillow and letting escape a long sigh when the wondrous scent emitted from the other side of the pillow. I silently wondered if my pillows smelled this amazing, and if they did, I questioned my own observance skills. I heard a low annoyed growl erupt from Taiki-san, and felt an aching hurt that I had yet again annoyed him.

"You're not a very quiet person." He mumbled before rolling up the mat he used for meditation and migrating to the adjacent side of the room to place it in it's correct spot.

All I honestly ever seemed to do was annoy him. I always managed to do the exact thing I could possibly do wrong to annoy him and destroy his day. I cursed my ineptness at life and rolled on the bed to face the wall. I added another reason to hate myself to the mental list existing in my head, and huddled against the dry wall. I pulled the covers around my body in a mock cocoon, attempting to hide myself from him. I felt the shame radiate off my body, and I was sure he saw it in my aura. I heard footsteps walking towards me and knew my hypothesis was correct; He had saw the drastic change in my mood and was about to give me an undeserved apology.

"I'm sorry. I force you to stay here for hours everyday in a weak attempt to protect you. This is all my fault; If I had dispelled the ghost when I was still stronger than it, I wouldn't have to take such drastic measures. I should be less-"

"Just let it get me." I mumbled scornfully at myself, but I think he might have believed it was resentment towards himself.

"What are you saying?" He asked disbelievingly.

Silence.

"Answer me Isabella." He commanded.

I ignored him.

I felt two cold spiders slink over my cocoon and flip me over to face him. I squirmed and attempted to return to my previous position, but the Devil himself pressed his body down over mine, making sure my tricky little hands didn't escape the web of blankets and find a means of escape from the hard gaze waiting for me. I turned my head to avoid the pair of eyes undoubtedly boring holes through me, but the same little white spider that had assisted in my overturn had slipped itself under my chin. With surprising gentleness, the hand turned my face to look at the serious gaze. I averted my eyes and heard Taiki growl.

"Look at me Isabella." He commanded. I attempted to turn my head again, but his soft fingers locked my face in place.

"I said look at me." He repeated, and this time I obeyed.

"Isabella," He always said my name with an accent. "Isabella, don't say things like that. Why would you possibly give yourself up so easily?" The harsh edge to his voice had vanished, replaced only by a new emotion I couldn't identify. I had never heard it in his tone before.

"I'm a burden to you." I miraculously managed to choke out. His eyes widened for a fraction of a second before returning to that same almost sultry gaze he had allured me with before.

"Not at all." He assured me, and my heart skipped a beat. For a moment, I thought the specter was attempting to take control over me again.

It was only when I felt his warm breath on my face that I realized how close we really were. In order to pin me, he had to press his entire body weight onto me, and the close proximity was driving me insane. Instinct commanded me to wrap my arms around him, but unfortunately, they were trapped within the blankets.

Damn.

Taiki's gaze confused me to no end; Did he not understand what he was doing? His dark orbs held all the secrets while all of mine were exposed to him in the no doubt incredibly pink cloud that followed me around constantly, alerting him to every conflict in my head. He had a serious expression plastered across his face, and I bit my bottom lip, hoping for all humanity that one day, even without the cheating help of psychic abilities, I'd be able to read him like a book as well as he could read me.

Then the heaviest worst thought pounded itself into my head, wiring itself to my heart: Why was I talking about the future between us? The visits I shared with him only occurred because he was my self-assigned bodyguard. Either he would be gone the moment he dispelled it, on the way to rid me of his life, or I would be gone if he actually failed. It was an absolutely horrid thought. I felt his weight shift on top of me. He rolled off me, lying on the bed next to me and propping himself up with one arm and allowing his spare to lie limply on his side. I took the opportunity to free myself from the cocoon and absorb his elegance in one quick glance before averting my eyes again.

"Your aura is changing rapidly. It's very complicated. You're over thinking things again, aren't you?" He analyzed. I felt my ears get hot; They always did that when I was embarrassed.

"Did my close proximity scare you? I apologize. You were being stubborn and I wasn't going to allow it. I am sorry for removing your personal boundaries. I was not trying to… 'Make a pass' at you, as Nakatsu would refer to it as." He explained.

Oh. I felt stupid again. I felt that a lot when around him. I used to be smart; I always was the responsible one before I began spending so much time with him. He obviously was a bad influence on me.

I felt that sinking feeling finally drop and settle in my stomach. I ached on the inside, and I bit back the hot tears that might have surfaced if I had one ounce less of self-control. The waging war of teenage hormones clashed with my better judgment. I needed to grow up soon to prevent this loss of self-control from ever occurring ever again. I bit my lip until it bled.

"I… that look in your eyes… I never saw it before. You looked like you… wanted to kiss me or something…" I could feel my voice tremble.

He looked me straight in the eye, and I felt unable to look away. He leaned in a fraction of an inch closer, but it felt like a mile.

"Did I?" He asked. "Hm. I don't think I know what you're referring to." A fragile trace of a broken smile flickered across his face before vanishing, leaving only the shadow of his true motives. I saw it nonetheless, I assured myself.

He left to take a shower as I recovered.

I sat dumbfounded on his bed before instant recognition and flash epiphany flew through my thoughts. It may have been vanity, but I felt my own sixth sense emerge and permeate itself through my veins. If my premonition proved correct, Taiki Kayashima spent time with me for more than the reason of protecting me.

Out of reflex, my speed dial finger called Rio.

I wondered if she had any Japanese parodies of Cosmo Girl lying around her house.

* * *

**Hope you liked it! :D**

** Urm, for other non-americans that may be reading this, Cosmo Girl is absolutely the most stereotypical girly magazine ever. It has all the dating tips for girls and make up advice, ect. ect. **

** Also, Casper is an old ghost cartoon from around the looney tunes age. I thought it would be cute to give Kayashima a ghost nickname for Izzy to refer to him to before learning his name. :D**


	4. How Much is Too Much Fluff?

**Okay. I feel bad. I think I made poor Taiki a pervert. ;_;**

**(Taiki: Yeah, you did. You made me stare at a girl's skirt riding up, what do you think?) (Me: -Throws shoe at Taiki-) (Taiki: Fine fine, jeez.)**

**Thank you for all the reviews! You've no idea how happy they make me! :D**

**Don't kill me after this chapter though; I think this'll ruin my fanbase... . I wanted it to go slower, but I'm such a romantical-like person that I couldn't help myself; I was on a role. I think I made him a bit out of his normal character. FORGIVE ME! **

**Disclaimer: I don't Hana Kimi and I don't own Taiki Kayashima, if I did, he would end up a pervert like as follows:**

* * *

This was absolutely ridiculous.

We had to have flipped through dozens of magazines, and although Rio swore I was imagining it, I was positively sure that the ink was slowly starting to remove itself from the pages and press itself to my fingers. I had learned that I was an autumn, fringe boots were in this season, and chiffon skirts were excellent for my body type. Rio had shoved personality quiz after personality quiz in my face, and I had painstakingly wracked my brain to fill in the correct little bubbles for my situation. I gave a long sigh before collapsing on the absurd hot-pink colored beanbag chair behind me. This was a waste of two weeks of my life.

"Face it Iz," Rio began, a smug look of joy slithering onto her features. "He likes you." I groaned.

"I don't believe you." I pouted.

"It's true."

"You're lying."

I threw a pillow at her and missed. I cursed my poor athletic ability and rolled behind her bed, taking cover from her self-satisfied gaze. Two little blue kitten eyes peeped up from the other side of the bed, looking curiously at the girl sitting contently in the center of the room with the long braids trailing down her back. I blinked and crawled cautiously onto the bed.

"Are you going to behave?" She asked me slowly.

"Possibly." I threw back before rolling off the opposite side of the bed to land with a light 'plop' next to her on a new beanbag chair. This one was colder due to it's lack of previous body heat.

"What I don't understand though is if he was in such a compromising position, why didn't he take advantage and go for it? It's strange." Rio mumbled more to herself that to me.

"Taiki-san is really closed off I think maybe." I added before placing one of the rainbow swirled lollipops Rio had provided for me in my mouth.

"But he seems to have feelings for you though- that should have given him the initiative to go for it regardless of his private nature. He- Izzy, how many of those have you had?" She pointed towards the lollipop in my hand, but I was reluctant to tell her the answer.

"Three, four… maybe nine. Why?" I asked innocently.

"No wonder you're so hyper! Izzy give me the sweet. N.O.W. Now! You're going to get sick!" She made a lunge for the sugary treat but I rolled out of the way, candy never leaving my mouth.

Finding sanctuary under her frilly bed, I appeared on the other side and climbed atop the futon, using it as a springboard before jumping off and onto the floor. Rio made a dash for my feet, but I leapt over her, swirling into the bathroom and locking the door shut. She pounded on the door from the other side.

"Izzy! Get out of there! YOU'RE GOING TO GET SICK!" She warned.

"I'm a rock! I won't get sick!" I countered.

"IZZY!!!" Rio pounded harder.

"I'm fine! I'm perfectly healthy and-" I cut myself off. Rio stopped her pounding.

I felt like I was going to vomit.

* * *

"Now what have we learned?" Rio asked, her smug attitude returning.

I struggled to pull at my bonds, but several sheets had been tied around my arms, flattening them to my torso. I struggled, wriggled, and writhed on the floor of Rio's room, but all I had managed to do was severely mess up my hair. I eventually gave up. Lying silently on the floor, I looked up at Rio, my sugar high wearing down.

"He said that he was just trying to keep me from looking away from him, Rio." I added sadly, all seriousness returning to my features. She looked down at me and snorted.

"You're not that hard to suppress, believe me. If that was truly his only intention, he could have accomplished it without so much contact." I grunted. She thought I was weak.

"I could have taken you if I was so sick." I defended myself. She patted me on the head like a puppy.

"No you couldn't of, Hun. Just accept it. Taiki cares about you as more than just a person to be protected." She smiled warmly at me. It reminded me of my mother's smile.

"Maybe it's just because he still thinks it's his fault. Maybe he-"

"Or, maybe you could eventually learn to start listening to me and accept that he likes you." She flicked me on the forehead and I snorted in protest. "Now, how do YOU feel about him?"

"I've no idea what you're talking about." I looked away from her, avoiding her eyes. I attempted to roll myself over so that I would no longer be facing her, but all I'd managed to do was resemble a turtle trying to flip itself over after being knocked on it's shell. I squirmed and writhed about, watching as Rio stood up.

"I'm going to get myself a juice." She stated as she opened her bedroom door.

"Oh good, I'm really thirsty. Thanks Rio. Now untie me so-" I stopped when I saw her began to close the door. "Wait, you're just going to leave me here!?" I shouted behind her. She turned so that only half of her face could be seen through the crack in the door.

"I'm sorry, but foolish Americans who can't listen don't get juice. I should be back in an hour or so though. Sit tight." She grinned before shutting the door.

The flabbergasted look on my face must have been priceless.

The room was silent.

…

My arm itched really bad.

* * *

"So she just left you there?" Kayashima asked hotly, the heat from his anger evident in his voice.

"Unfortunately, yes." I rolled onto my side shamefully. "I was so weak, jeez, she captured me so easily." I pursed my lips unhappily. Taiki looked rather upset.

"Leaving you alone is one of the items on the list I told her she could never do. Does nobody read my directions? It's luxury enough I allowed you to visit her unaccompanied by me, and then she abuses the privilege. You were practically on a silver platter for that cretin to consume you, and she leaves for… for… Juice!" He ranted.

He continued his rave as I sat silently on the bed. Being naturally empathic, I was drowned in his anger and it sucked all playfulness that had existed with Rio out of me. I had never seen Taiki so passionate about anything before, and it was crushing that it was disappointment in me that caused his normally calm exterior to rise up and crack. I continued down this path of negative thoughts, pushing myself deeper and deeper into that hole of despair.

I started to cry.

Instantaneously, his anger melted away, leaving his face a blank slate marked only by the long frown etched into his milky perfect skin. He slowly walked towards the bed, taking a seat quietly beside me. I refused to look at him.

"I'm sorry for upsetting you Isabella. I was so wrapped up in my tirade that I hadn't even stopped to check on your aura to assure that you were unharmed. I seem to be causing you more pain than I'm taking away. Aren't I?" He whispered softly. My tears died down to soft sobs, but I still refused to look at the boy who, in all his perfection, had to constantly endure the strife I put him through.

"Look at me Isabella." He didn't command it this time; This time it sounded like he was begging.

I still didn't turn in his direction, and I knew my hands were shaking. It was freezing in here; It always was. Taiki claimed ghosts always wandered to him, hoping to have his company, which caused his room to be perpetually cold. I shivered and I felt him place a warm blanket around me. I finally looked him in the eye, getting lost yet again in those pools of black ink. I felt trapped in them yet again. He moved his face closer to mine, and I felt his wondrous spidery fingers brush a stray hair out of my face. My cheeks flushed a pretty pink, and I felt his spare hand snake around my waist, pulling me into him. The hand that had previously been holding my face traveled to the back of my skull, ruffling my hair and pressing me into his neck. He smelled like rain kissed leaves and incense, and I adored the combination. His warm lips moved to my ear, whispering to me so softly that I was sure I would melt into his arms right there.

"Forgive me Isabella. I don't think I'm a good bodyguard for you. Maybe the specter is weakening me, because I always feel my legs go weak the moment I see your face. It's probably cursed you and it's deteriorating my powers; I can't control myself around you. I'm so sorry, but if I don't hold on to you as tightly as I can, I'm desperately afraid you'll disappear. I'm very… protective of you. It scares me when you leave." Taiki's words were like fire, melting my heart and consuming it.

"But… you're so malevolent towards me sometimes… You… get so annoyed… and…" He cut me off with a low growl.

"You make it so hard to concentrate…" He hissed in my ear, making the spot his breathe hit tingle.

"I'm sorry… I'm so noisy and clumsy and immature and-"

"You've no idea what you do, do you?" He questioned impatiently in my ear.

"What do you mean?" I pulled away from him to look him in the eyes again. My bottom lip trembled; What had I done this time?

"Imagine," He said, an intense look in his eye. "A young woman whose pale skin rivaled the moon. Her white glow resembled a ghost's, and her cerulean eyes always looked at you with the most innocent purity in the world. Her lips were full and rosy, and her tiny body curved in all the best places. Imagine how distracting it would be for her to be writhing around on your bed, her already short uniform skirt riding up, exposing even more of her milky legs than already shown. Try to comprehend what it would do to observe her, smiling at you every time she caught you watching, listening to her sigh into your pillows. There's not enough self-control in the world to restrain someone for too long. I'm not a good bodyguard for you Isabella; I'm just as dangerous to you as the ghost is." Taiki responded bitterly, hatred for himself eminent in his tone.

He stood up and walked away from the bed, leaving me completely alone and needing. I felt vulnerable without his arms around me, protecting me. I realized I like his touch much more than I should. He walked towards the picture window in his room and stared out of it. That same frustrated look painted his features, and I hated that I caused him such pain. I HAD been paining him all along. I'd been the cause of all his misfortunes from the start. I collapsed onto the bed, wrapping myself in the blankets again. I huddled up towards the white wall and tried to sob as quietly as possible, hoping he wouldn't hear me. I didn't notice the footsteps come towards the bed, or the creaking of the springs in the mattress as a second person laid themselves next to me. I did, however, feel the same pair of familiar arms wrap themselves around me, shielding me from all the pain in the world. I smelled the soothing scent of rain kissed leaves and incense, and felt the tickling sensation as his black hair fell from his face onto my cheek. I felt him pull me closer, wrapping the blankets around us both so that we were cocooned together. His cold toes brushed timidly against mine, and his nimble fingers found mine. His warm breath hit my neck again, and instantly I stopped crying, feeling a meek smile emerge on my face for the first time in ages.

"I'm a bad bodyguard…" He trailed off into my ear. "Because a good one would let you go after realizing how weak you made them."

And in one panoramically perfect moment when all the space seemed to vacuum itself out from between us, leaving us completely combined, I felt that same pair of glorious lips that had whispered every imaginable unspoiled truth into my ear press against the skin of my neck. Soft little pecks on my skin felt amazing, even though I could feel the shyness existing in them. Little timid brushes of gentle lips against cold skin thrilled me, and as hard as I tried to remain awake, to experience every little kiss, I felt my eyelashes flutter downward, forcing me into sleep.

And that night, I experienced for the first time how breathtaking it felt to sleep next to someone for the first time.

* * *

The sunlight hit my face, warming my skin and nestling me from slumber. I yawned and rolled over, but felt surprise when my nose brushed against someone else's. My eyes shot open, only to gaze upon the sultry expression Taiki possessed staring back at me. A wide smile stretched across his face, and I felt his arms press me even closer against his body. I noticed for the first time that he slept with his shirt off, and struggled not to allow my hands to travel down his torso to explore his body. Instead, I placed my dainty hands on his chest, and felt him shiver from the cold temperature of my hands. He chuckled under his breath.

"Thank you for the kiss." He said adoringly. I felt myself blush.

"I gave you a kiss?" I asked, confused. Didn't I fall asleep last night? I began to panic. He laughed.

"Eskimos kiss with their noses." He teased, brushing his nose against mine as I had accidentally done when I had awoken. I smiled and snuggled up towards his ear.

"Did you stay awake all night?" I asked, concerned.

"I didn't want to miss anything." He explained nonchalantly. I frowned.

"Taiki, I don't understand you." I frowned.

"Have I done something wrong?" He seemed worried. I tapped my fingers together, searching for the right words.

"No… You're just… Two very different people. Around other people you hardly speak, and are completely calm. Yet, around me, you don't hesitate to say anything." I observed.

"That's because you're the only… living… person that I find interesting." He smiled at his own choice of words. I pouted, not convinced that I was so special.

"But you're perfect! You're so talented and smart and calm! You're so much more graceful than I'll ever be, and your eyes are amazing! You're patient and sexy and-"

"Did you just call me sexy?" His eyes widened in male satisfaction and I cursed my ability to speak. I rolled over, facing the wall again. His arms wrapped around me and I heard a growl escape his throat. "Why would a girl like you, the epitome of beauty and quintessence of innocence, ever apply such an adjective to me?"

No answer.

I knew that calm face of his was reading my aura, completely placate with the amount of embarrassment I felt.

"Why do you think I'm so innocent?" I demanded, my bottom lip protruding outward. He smiled at me, but still looked serenely calm.

"Are you trying to imply, Miss Isabella," He said each syllable of my name slowly and with an extra kick of Japanese accent that drove me absolutely insane. "That you are naughty?" I felt my cheeks glow bright red.

"I, um…" I trailed off. I heard him chuckle behind me.

"You're absolutely adorably cute and innocent." He smiled at me. I was indignant.

"I am not!" I argued.

"Prove it."

My bottom lip fell a little as I tried to think of what to do to prove to him that I wasn't the innocent little girl he assumed me to be. I bit my lip, no decent thoughts appearing in my mind. I sucked in air and let out as menacing a growl as I could. I sounded like a kitten. Taiki laughed.

"You're not going to bite me, are you?" He mocked.

"I might." I threatened.

"Oh really?" He attempted to make his face look serious, but apparently, my expression made it hard. "Try it." My incense clouded my rationality.

"Fine!" I snapped, angry at his still amused expression. I wafted through my mind, trying to figure out how to go about this. I settled on doing something that would wipe that smug little smile I had seen on his, Rio's, and Aunt Ginny's face lately:

I snaked my arms around his body at a rapid pace, one arm on his back and the other on his bare chest, and rubbed my nose against his neck. The gaunt muscles in his neck tensed as I brushed my lips against them, moving them all over the exposed skin until I found what seemed to be his most sensitive spot. I stopped there, kissing, (tenderizing), the spot, hearing low grunts escape his perfect pale lips.

He tasted like vanilla.

The moment I had finished my love bite, I removed myself instantaneously from his form. However, he was extremely reluctant to let me go. I kissed his forehead and rolled out of bed, realizing I had slept in my uniform. I hoped that my skirt had not lifted too far up and revealed anything to him as I got out of bed.

Then reality hit me.

Aunt Ginny.

The American Secret Service could not protect Kayashima from my Aunt's wrath. They could send him as Mr. John Smith to live in a suburb in a town nobody had ever heard of, and she would find him. I gulped, and Taiki shot up, alerted by my aura that something was wrong.

"I already called your Aunt." He informed me.

He handed me my cell phone, and I noticed a new voicemail message.

"What exactly did you tell her?" I asked cautiously.

"That you would be sleeping over with me tonight. Actually, I didn't actually tell her; She didn't answer so I left it as a voice mail." The boy was digging his own grave.

_You have one new voicemail message. First message: ISABELLA RAINA IZAKU! COME HOME IMMEDIATELY! You've gone too far and that boy-_

I dropped my cell phone. I was dead. No, he was dead.

"I have to get home." I stated sadly.

"Okay. We will walk home. I have jacket you can wear so you will not get cold. Here-" He stated, reaching into his closet for a black and green garment. "-Wear this."

He was never getting this jacket back.

And of course, the planetary alignment shifted so that Jupiter was aligned with Saturn to make the sun burn brighter so that the world made the worst possible thing ever happen:

The door slammed open.

"Nakatsu! Why do you keep sleeping in Sano and Mizuki's room? I-" Nanba, the dorm head, shouted.

And there, in the room, sat Taiki Kayashima, looking for a shirt as he wandered out of bed. And of course, there, though I shouldn't have existed, sat me, a St. Blossom's girl in my uniform that kept sliding up. And lastly, existing proof of transactions, sat the dark pink little 'love bite' on Taiki's neck.

Words would not describe how much trouble we had buried ourselves in, but the swearing emitted from my aunt in my cell phone summed it up pretty well.

* * *

**Please please don't flame me? My friend Devy wanted me to write another chappy and I went crazy with the romance. T_T **


	5. Bad Parenting

** I gots a little crazy with the romance.**

**But you love me anyways. XD**

**I was in a christmasy mood. I celebrate the holiday entirely too early. Expect it as a theme for the next few chapters. Sort of a countdown to christmas for me. **

**I don't own Hana Kimi or Taiki. Aweee....**

* * *

I felt like I was existing in a bad country western movie.

On one end of the ghost town stood Chief Kayashima, raised tall with a placid expression glazed across his face. On the other end was Sheriff Nanba, a firm disapproving frown etched into his features. I felt the urge to whistle showdown music. Nanba looked like he was going to begin to speak, but he closed his mouth again and I feared for the tension in his forehead; Kayashima had better choose his words wisely, or I distressed Nanba might pop a vein. Kayashima did not move. I made a motion to stir, to confess to Nanba and take all the blame, but Taiki snaked his arms around me, holding me in place. Nanba seethed.

"Kayashima…" Nanba said every syllable slowly, adding scorn to each new monosyllable. "You know the rules…" He clenched his fists. "She shouldn't even be visiting in your room, and yet it seems as if she did more than visit you…" He glared in my direction and instinctively my feet became incredibly fascinating.

"Her name is Isabella." Kayashima said simply. Nanba gaped before speaking again.

"I don't care what the little foreign girl's name is… Do you have any idea how much trouble this could cause me? I could get fired Kayashima! Or worse, expelled! And so could you. And you're willing to risk all that for this little trick?" He was fuming. It was understandable.

"I'm protecting her." Kayashima added.

"Oh really? From what?" Nanba spat.

"A homicidal spirit with a vendetta against her." Kayashima explained calmly. Nanba had a spasm in which I didn't believe he could think of words to describe his frustration anymore.

"Be serious Kayashima!" He bristled.

"I'm always serious." Taiki rebutted.

"Then what's that mark on your neck?!" Nanba pointed accusingly. "I don't think that's part of your little ghost hunt, is it?" He had him there.

"No it is not, but I enjoyed it." I fought the urge to giggle at Nanba's new facial expression.

"Kayashima… You're incredibly lucky that I lack the position to rat you out without causing trouble for myself as well… If I find this little…" I winced, waiting for him to call me a horrible derogatory name. "If I find her here again, I'll take my chances with expulsion." He slammed the door on his way out.

We stood in silence before the door timidly creaked open, revealing a confused Takatsu mumbling about Nanba. He almost asked what was Nanba's problem on the way in, but noticed the little red flag on Taiki. His mouth curved into a cartoon 'O' before a huge clumsy grin stretched across his face.

"Holy crap Kayashima! She's your girlfriend now? AND YOU NEVER TOLD ME?! I thought I was your best friend!" Takatsu fake-pouted. Kayashima grimaced when Takatsu raised his hand to high five him. "You totally have to introduce her to Sano and Mizuki!"

Takatsu grabbed my wrist and pulled me towards the door, but Taiki wrapped his arms around my waist, pulling me back. Takatsu looked confused.

"Nanba doesn't wish her to stay here. I have to take her home." He smiled into my neck. "Plus, I'm not in the mood to share her." I felt my cheeks glow red.

Takatsu let loose the smuggest grin I had ever seen in my life before practically fluttering out the door.

"I'll just let you two get back to THAT then…" He said as he shut the door.

"It's not like that Nakatsu." Taiki shouted back, but all we heard was Takatsu snickering outside the door. I turned to face Taiki.

"So you're going to be staying at my home now?" I felt tingles on my tongue after referring to my aunt's house as home for the first time.

"Yes." Taiki said simply as he pulled me closer. He pressed his lips against my ear. "You're not getting rid of me. You've caught my attention, and now, I want you. I need you. I'm waiting to see what you do to make me love you." My heart beat faster at the word.

"Taiki, I-" I let out a small whimper, and heard him chuckle. He had nibbled on my ear, knowing what that would do. I pulled away from him, and his expression looked hurt before he attempted to assemble his calm mask again.

"We've never kissed on the lips before…" I explained, and his brow creased. "I want to kiss now." I added softly.

He looked away from me before taking a seat on the bed, refusing to meet my gaze. Oh how the tables had turned. I knew I didn't weigh enough to overpower him, so I had to be cunning.

I sat on his lap.

I wrapped my arms around his neck, watching as his eyes grew as big as saucers at my actions. He may have been Taiki Kayashima, the most meditated ghost hunter in the world, but he was still male. This still had to be driving him insane. My dainty hand rested on his upper chest, making little circles with my index finger. He groaned as I placed my lips to his neck, taking little pecks at his skin in a little trail to his Adam's apple. I knew in this position, my skirt had to have been pressed incredibly high up, most likely exposing a bit of my red underwear and a wondrous expanse of leg, so I used it to my advantage. His eyes were glued to my milky white skin as swung a leg on either side of him, practically straddling him in my darkest shameful hour. Taiki was on the edge, I could feel it in more ways than one.

"Please kiss me Taiki…" I fluttered my eyelashes and pressed my cheek to his to whisper in his ear. I was going to Hell for this. "Please please me…" I layered my voice with appeal. He squirmed under me.

"Ohhh…Urmmmm…" He moaned before flipping me off of him and taking flight from the bed to stand at his window. He wouldn't face me.

I didn't understand. I laid on his bed, hurting and reviling in my pain. Did he not want to kiss me? I stared at his form, watching as he tried to suppress his own intense breathing and calm himself. He had enjoyed me pressing myself against him, touching his chest… arousing him even. But I didn't deserve a single kiss? A quick peck? A long slow passionate moving of the lips? What was I to him then, if he could hold me, and devour my skin, and whisper to me feelings- feelings that could now be empty words- but he couldn't kiss me? Did he only want me as some sort of comfort? To hold so that all his fears would go away but not to get into a romantic relationship with? I clenched my fist. It was certainly too late for that.

Angry tears poured down my cheeks. I wanted to go now.

Taiki turned to face me, only to have shock and horror spread across his face as he saw my tears. He rushed to my side but I pushed him away. I didn't want any more of his empty words of console or fake gestures. I curled up in a ball in a corner of the bed, refusing to face him. I felt him take a seat on the bed. It was quiet for awhile as he let me cry semi-privately.

"I don't know how to kiss you." He confessed.

I stopped crying, and sat up.

"What are you talking about?" I rubbed my eyes dry. "You knew what to do when you kissed my neck and-"

"I just experimented until I discovered what pleased you." He looked at his lap, avoiding any eye contact. I crawled towards him and rested my head on his lap. He played with my hair; It was relaxing.

"I don't care; I can teach you." I pleaded. He shook his head.

"I'll mess it up. You'll be disappointed with me." He wallowed in his frustration with himself. "I can't-"

I snaked my hand into his hair and crashed my lips onto his. I wasn't going to let him escape either. I pushed him over, falling on top of him and sandwiching him between myself and the mattress. His lips suddenly became shy and timid, afraid of doing something wrong. This made mine more forceful, demanding a reaction out of him. My hand tangled his hair between my fingers, and my spare arm rubbed against his chest. I practiced no restraint as it traveled under his shirt, feeling his muscles tense. I felt his hard abdominal muscles tremble under my weak hand, feeling vulnerable under my touch. I massaged his muscles as I kissed him, and felt him grunt in pleasure. I nibbled on his bottom lip, begging him to kiss back. I felt a timid nip at my own lip, and sighed in complete satisfaction that I had won. Suddenly, he flipped us, regaining his dominance in our relationship by taking his place on top of me. He savagely took over the kiss, making me sigh and writhe beneath him. We both enjoyed every minute of it.

We eventually broke apart for air, and he rolled next to me, propping himself up on one arm and looming above me. He leaned in to talk quietly to me. He licked his lips.

"What were you trying to do earlier?" He asked me curiously.

"When?" I asked innocently, blocking out my seduction attempts from my memory.

"When you decided to sit on my lap. Or did you just decide that torturing me would be fun?" He gave me a disapproving look and I blushed.

"I was trying to seduce you into kissing me." I answered quietly. He laughed.

"Was that all? I thought you were trying to drive me completely insane." He rolled his eyes.

"What do you mean?" I asked innocuously.

"Don't tell me you're that naïve little Isabella." He rubbed his cheek against mine. "You knew exactly what you were doing."

"No." I stated simply. He chuckled.

"I don't think I should be the one to explain this to you."

"Why not?"

"Because you'll think I am perverted." He accused. "And I am not." I giggled and gave him a Eskimo kiss.

"All boys are perverted!" I laughed and he feigned being insulted.

"We are not. It's you little girls with your short skirts and long legs that are perverted. Then you rub off on us. We just can't… hide it as well." His tone became embarrassed as I realized his meaning.

"I'm sorry." I apologized.

"You've no idea what you do to men, do you?" He poked me. "Especially the ones here. You're beyond gorgeous, and you're completely exotic. Your eyes alone could hypnotize someone, and then you have to go and make it unbearable with your full pouting lips," He kissed my lips. "Fiery red hair," He kissed the top of my forehead. "And…" He stopped himself.

"What?" I asked curiously. I wanted to know. I needed to know what he thought of me.

"No. It's sinful." His eyes became hard and he stared at the floor. I placed a hand on his chest, feeling his heartbeat under his shirt.

"Please tell me." I begged. I used those hypnotizing eyes he talked about and he groaned.

"I… Men appreciate… You have… You're very…" This was the first time I had ever heard him stutter. It made me giggle. "You're incredibly sexy." He blushed. I blushed.

"What?" My bottom lip trembled.

"I don't want to talk about it." He looked away, utterly self-conscious.

"Why not?" I pouted.

"Because I shouldn't have such… thoughts in my head. This all leads back to the fact that you're completely distracting." He accused. I smirked.

"What types of thoughts do you get?" I was teasing him now.

"Isabella…" He warned.

"I want to know though…" I pursed my lips together in the most alluring way possible.

"No… You want to know too much. If I talk about them… I might be tempted to do them." He looked at me with an intense expression on his face. I could tell it was paining him to have such thoughts rumbling around in his head.

I laid back down in his lap, sorry that I had asked him to talk about something he was obviously ashamed of. I closed my eyes, thankful for the lack of tension or excitement in the room for the first time that morning. And then I heard the beeping of my phone on the floor that meant that I had a new voicemail. Opening one eye, I peered at my phone, and saw it was from my aunt. I groaned, wondering how I was going to justify my night to her. I looked up towards Taiki for reassurance, but all I saw was my red mark on his neck. I carped loudly.

* * *

I could hear the loud impatient beeping of my aunt's work van outside. I grumbled and attempted to apply the cover-up makeup to Taiki's neck faster. He was slightly tanner than I, (no comment), and I struggled with blending it to his skin. He grimaced the entire time, irked about the makeup's feminine lilac smell.

"It's going to rub off on my collar. Will it stain the shirt?" He asked calmly, not grasping that his life could very well be in danger.

"I don't know. Maybe." I said quickly, licking my finger and using it to smudge the last little bit into perfection.

Three more beeps of the horn.

I latched onto Taiki's wrist before dragging him out the door, through the labyrinth of hallways, and out to the menacing car of doom looming outside. The tires curved themselves into canines and the headlights glowed angrily. The automatic car door slid open, and I quickly climbed in. Tap-tap-tap went Aunt Ginny's fingers on the steering wheel. I looked quickly out the window. With one suicidal kamikaze move, Taiki sat in the front seat. My ears burned red.

"I'm sorry for not alerting you that she would be staying the night with me." He bowed his head to her, but she bit her lip and stared out in front of her towards the horizon.

It was a long car ride. I almost didn't hear my crazy aunt's blaring Iron Maiden CD. Almost.

We arrived at the little house in what seemed like hours, and I quickly snatched Taiki's wrist and dragged him inside before he could say anything else foolish that could get us both murdered. He looked curiously around my house, this being his first visit inside, and I seated him on a couch in the living room before running back into the kitchen and locking the door behind me. I took one of the two seats at the table and feigned calmness, waiting for my punishment to occur. Aunt Ginny trudged in and threw the keys for the company vehicle randomly over her shoulder. It landed in a cooking pot filled with grease that I was supposed to wash last night. I cringed. She tapped her foot.

"Well?" She seethed.

"I'm sorry that I stayed out last night without telling you. I'm sorry that I worried you. I'm sorry-" She cut me off with a confused look.

"I don't care about THAT. How could you not tell me that you had a boyfriend!? I thought I was your favorite aunt!" She pointed an accusing finger at me.

"You didn't ask!" I shot back.

"Well I'm asking now! How was he!?" She asked eagerly. I nearly fell out of my chair.

"WHAT DID YOU THINK WE WERE DOING?!" I gaped at her.

"I DON'T KNOW! IN MY DAY, THAT'S WHAT USUALLY HAPPENED WHEN WE STAYED OVER THE HOUSE OF OUR BOYFRIENDS OVERNIGHT!"

"And when was your day? Twenty billion years ago!?" I shot harshly. She gave a dramatic gasp and feigned fainting.

"Well at least I wasn't a prude! The boy never ever smiles! You've probably got him so hard up-"

"WHAT KIND OF PARENT ARE YOU!?!" She was completely insane, obviously.

"A DAMN GOOD ONE!" She spat. "At least I'm teaching you life lessons!" She stuck her tongue out at me. This was ridiculous. I wondered what insane court gave her custody over me. I suspect money exchanged hands.

"You called my boyfriend hot! You're such a perverted pedophile!" I accused.

"You're so boring! You never act like a kid!"

"You never act like an adult! You're a horrible mother!" I regretted the words the moment I said them.

Mother. I had called her my mother. We both went silent.

"I'm… sorry you feel that way." She bit her lip and flew out of the kitchen. Tears fluttered down her face.

I watched chokingly as a little puddle of my own tears formed at my feet on the linoleum. Mother. Mother. Mothermothermother. How easily I tossed the word around. Did I really consider her to be my new mother? She barely qualified as a bratty older sister. I tried to justify my words in her and my mother's family resemblance, but even I didn't believe it. Sometime along the four months that I had stayed here, she had somehow slipped into the job of being my matriarch. I chuckled darkly at the position's new low standards. Taiki had entered the room and draped his jacket over my shoulders.

"She's crying too." He stated helplessly. "I told you my feelings for you would only cause you tro-" I tackled him into a spine-crushing hug.

"Don't you… don't be so conceded." I tried to sneak a joke in. I had failed. "This isn't about you. I said something stupid again." I absorbed his familiar cold body temperature and basked in his amazing smell.

"You never say anything stupid. You say hurtful things occasionally, but never anything stupid. You have heard Nakatsu speak before, correct?" His attempt to comfort me made me smile for a fraction of a second.

"I called her my mother." I sad after an interval of silence. His face softened.

"And why do you think you did that?" He asked calmly, leaning against a wall and pulling me with him. My hair had grown long enough to fall past my ears in a spiky fashion, but my sleeping on it without jelling it in the morning left it limp. It concealed my face and cascaded over my eyes. He brushed it back with his thumb.

"It reminded me of fights that I had with my mother, when she told me to grow up when I was acting childish." I surprised myself with my answer.

"And what is a mother to you?" He asked, raising one of his dark eyebrows in a questioning arc.

"Someone who cares about you, and protects you, and is understanding. She feeds you and teaches you new things, and helps you with homework, and drives you to school, and makes cookies on Christmas-" He kissed my forehead.

"Doesn't she do all that?" He smiled smugly.

"…We never made cookies…" I said weakly into his chest. He laughed.

"Well, Christmas is in a few weeks. There's still time to make those cookies." He said, letting me go and taking a seat at our tiny table. He looked reassuringly at me as I walked feebly towards my aunt's bedroom.

I could hear crying inside and my stomach churned.

"Aunt Ginny?" I called meekly, knocking on the door. The crying stopped and I heard her unlock the door. I walked inside.

"What do you want?" She wiped her eyes and I immediately recognized a strange familiarity on her face: I remembered my reflection in the mirror the night I arrived here.

"I wanted to… apologize…" I said quietly, and took a seat on the bed.

"Why? I'm not your mother. Especially not a good one." She sniffed.

"Well… you're not my mother… but you are a good one." I reached for her shoulder but she flinched.

"No I'm not." She sounded congested. "I'm completely irresponsible."

"No. You called, looking for me. You were worried and protective and relived that I was safe. You were responsible."

"But I can't bake."

"What?"

"I can't make you edible dinners. And when I clean dishes, there's still always gunk left over. And I don't have a minivan-"

"You don't need all that to be a good mom. You just need to care about me, which you do." I reassured her.

"I'm not my sister though… She was always such a great cook, and left everything spotless, and always knew what to say-"

"I don't want you to be her. I'm happy with you. I can have two moms. You get to be the crazy one."

"Kids don't console moms. Kids console other kids. I'm just a huge kid…" I giggled.

"Moms can be kids too. You should have seen your sister when she thought I was asleep. She beat all my videogames." I laughed, and she smiled a little.

"You're such a great kid, Isabella." She pulled me into a warm hug.

"Taiki was the one that made me see the big picture. Thank him." She pulled away from me.

"That guy's… not all that bad. He's a good guy." She smiled a motherly smile at me, and we shared an epiphanic moment. "But if he hurts you, I swear to God I'm killing him." She added dryly.

We walked back into the kitchen and my aunt almost went giddy; Taiki had washed every dish and cleaned every surface of our kitchen. My aunt- scratch that- My MOTHER ran around the room, hopping up and down with joy that she wouldn't have to do any work tonight. She tackled him and quite possibly squeezed the life out of him in gratitude.

"Isabella, if you two don't work out as a couple, I'm adopting him." She laughed jokingly, (I think).

"So I take it you two will be making Christmas cookies together this year?" Taiki asked calmly.

"Only if she teaches me." My second mother smiled serenely.

And I would.

* * *

** I'm making christmas cookies next weekend! WOOH!**

**Hope you liked it. **

**Now avert your eyes to the wonderful purple box in the corner....**


	6. Even PEZ Can't Sweeten It

**Agh. The guilt! This actually has been done for almost a week and a half. **

**I just haven't been on the computer. That school thing again. Guess what? My birthday is the sixteenth. You should send me cupcakes. (Organic vegetarian cupcakes. No eggs.) School lets out in two weeks though for winter break. The nineteenth. It's also the day Bwig Bwother has his Welcome Home Party. XD**

**Those crazy army peoples taking him away from me. Tsk tsk.**

**Guiltguiltguiltguilt. Sorry. I should have posted this so much sooner. I'm a bad bad writer lady. **

**It's a little short, which is silly of me consider this is a mega important chapter. Not much Izzy-Taiki cuteness, but lots of Izzy-Family sadness. My mom is mad that I used the name Gabriel. She always wanted a son named Gabriel. It would figure I would make him EVIIIIIL. She read it and her face was the same as when Siler on HEROES was revealed to be actually named Gabriel. Poor mommy. **

**This is a really long Author's Note. Hehe. ^-^**

**I'm Sort of Christmas obsessed. Forgive me. **

**Disclaimer: Still the ownership has not been passed to me of Hana Kimi. They'll cave eventually. **

**OHOH! And in case PEZ isn't well known in other countries(I'm a silly American), it's candy, tiny little rectangular candy. It's cool because they come in little dispensors of like cartoon characters and such, and then to pop the head of the character up and candy comes out. It's amazing, and I was eating it at the time. I'm a candy fiend, (and in love with L. Go figure.)**

* * *

"That's insane! You can't put that much ginger in the mix!"

"I like ginger!"

"If you're not going to follow the recipe, you lose the privilege of licking the bowl."

"Fine. No more ginger."

It was three weeks until Christmas. Taiki would arrive to visit me soon and accompany me to the store. My mother's supreme lack of Christmas decorations was unsettling. Taiki and I would be going shopping for wreaths and holy soon, and my heart leapt at the thought of Christmas being so close.

Tap, tap, tap.

Taiki was here, and completely eager to swarm into my house in his overprotective paranoia caused by having to remain at the school overnight. I smiled as I opened the door for him, but grimaced when I realized what he was wearing.

A dark black button down shirt with long sleeves, with some of the higher buttons undone so as to expose a bit of his chest, adorned his torso. A black blazer layered itself on top of the shirt, and black slacks traveled down his legs, ending with plain black dress shoes. His dark hair hung in his dark eyes, and any other day I was exposed to Taiki dressing like this I was fine; It made him even more mysterious than usual. Today, however, we were going shopping for all things Christmas, and he looked like he was planning on attending a funeral.

"What's wrong?" He asked calmly, referring to the long frown undoubtedly stretched across my features.

"We're going Christmas shopping…" I said glumly.

"I thought you loved Christmas." He reminded me.

"But it doesn't look as if you do…" I pouted, and began circling around him. I touched his upper chest, placing the black fabric of his collar between my fingers.

"You don't like what I'm wearing?" He said sadly, and I felt mildly bad. A thought popped into my head, and my smile returned.

"Come with me!" I giggled, taking his hand in my own and feeling as his tightened protectively around mine.

I dragged him into my bedroom and quickly began rummaging through the small closet provided for me. I heard him take a seat on my bed and sigh. I stopped my search and looked behind me curiously.

"What?" I cocked my head to the side.

"How long have you lived in this room?" He asked with a serene look on is face.

"About four or five months. Why?"

"It's covered in your aura. It's… strange. Usually only aura manifests on objects with specific memories attached to them or some sentimental meaning resides from them." He breathed in deeply and collapsed on my bed, and I presumed him to enjoy my energies. I giggled.

"Well that's because everything here is important to me. Some of these things-" I picked up an incredibly old teddy bear and hugged it. "-remind me of home. Others-" I replaced the teddy in my arms with a cinnamon scented candle. "-Comfort me when I'm upset. And some things here have dual meanings." I plucked the picture Taiki took of me when the ghost first manifested off of my bulletin board. "This is the day that the ghost first made itself known, but…" I laid down next to Taiki on the bed. "It's also the day I met you."

I kissed him on the cheek and soon returned to the closet to search for the apparel I had recently remembered earlier. Taiki removed his shoes and pulled the comforter around him. I watched him lay his head back down on my pillows and curl up contently in my blankets. I smiled, and believed it only fair after all the time I spent destroying the order of his perfectly made bed.

"It all smells like you." He explained after I looked over my shoulder questioningly. I laughed.

"And what do I smell like exactly?" I grinned.

"Cinnamon. Cinnamon and sugar." He said happily, collapsing onto the bed again. I fought the urge to laugh at his antics.

"You're acting like the smell is a drug." I joked, but his face turned intense, the way it always did when he was about to inform me of an absolute truth.

"It is. You're intoxicating." I felt my face heat up.

"I found it!" I exclaimed, displaying an oversized Santa hat. I bounded over to the bed and placed it delicately on Taiki's head. "You look cute!" I said, laughing.

"Really now? I think it'd looked ever cuter on you though." He grinned and placed the hat over my head, smiling when it drooped over my eyes.

I felt him gently placed a hand on my lower back, pulling me towards him. His other unused hand lifted the hat above my eyes so I could see and he delicately placed his lips on to my own. I smiled into the kiss, completely satisfied with my morning.

Slam.

I looked around, startled out of the kiss and confused to look directly ahead of me and see that Taiki had disappeared. I looked to the floor and saw that Taiki had indeed fell off of the bed. A pillow happened to be laying next to him, and I heard foot tapping from the doorway. Rio stood in an all white ensemble, displaying her love for the snow, and contrasting against my dark hallway. She looked irritated. I smiled innocently.

"Oh no. It seems as if a pillow flew from my hand and hit Tammy." She said in perfect monotone. "I. Am. Sorry."

"Taiki." I corrected, but she rolled her eyes. Taiki stood up from the floor and glared at Rio.

"Rio." He said through gritted teeth.

He didn't seem to forget that she had left me tied up and defenseless on the floor. She didn't seem to forget that I had spent the night in his room and every reservation we made at restaurants or anywhere seemed to mysteriously become 'cancelled' immediately after Taiki caught wind of my intention to spend time with her.

"Why is IT here?" They both asked simultaneously. I hadn't yet alerted them that the other was going to be shopping with me as well.

"We'll, I thought it'd be fun if all three of us went shopping." I said hopefully.

Rio looked absolutely disgusted with the idea and Taiki scoffed at the word 'fun'. I sighed.

"I guess I'll go by myself then…" That got a rise out of the both of them.

"Fine." They both spat at once. Once again I was trapped in a hostile atmosphere.

I heard loud running from the hallway.

"GUESS WHAT I JUST FOUND?" My mother beamed.

"Hm?" I asked curiously, happy to feed off her good energy. Taiki seemed to be thinking the same thing.

"I FOUND PEZ DISPENSERS!" She radiated happiness. "And they're all Christmas themed!" She smiled.

She tossed a colorful candy dispenser to each of us, and lightheartedness emitted from her being. A smiling female elf with a green hat topped Rio's, while a silent and serious-looking reindeer stared out from on top of Taiki's. Santa Claus was on mine.

"You can't trust in the powers of reindeers." Rio said after a moment of silence between the four of us. "If they didn't have powers, they would be useless to Santa. So instead, they try to make themselves cute and win over his heart so he won't toss him aside. It's sad really."

"What purpose do elves serve?" Taiki countered. "Anyone could take their place. They're just short little people Santa felt sorry for. Nobody else would talk to them so he gave them jobs at the North Pole because they were just so pathetic, he felt obligated to."

"I think Santa likes both the elves and reindeer." I ventured timidly. "And it'd probably make Santa really happy if the reindeers and elves cooperated so that Santa could finally be happy for the first time is so many stressful months and bask in the Christmas spirit. I mean, since this is Santa's first Christmas without his family."

Both of them grew silent. My mother looked confused.

"I'm going to take a quick trip to the bathroom. When I'm done, will the two of you be ready to go?" I asked hopefully. They nodded.

I walked sadly to the bathroom; Maybe this wasn't such a good idea. My logic at the time had been that if Taiki didn't like me being with Rio alone and without his protection, and Rio didn't like me alone with Taiki, well, at all, then the resolution would be to spend time with the both of them at the same time. I hadn't calculated the fact that I may attempt to kill each other. I gently locked the bathroom door shut behind me and stared at my insipid face; I really did look boring. Except for the two dark circles wedged under my eyes from a lack of sleep and my own anemia, I looked completely forgettable. My lips were chapped from the cold and my hair now fell in my face, spiking out on the sides in a disheveled fashion that barely looked acceptable to leave the house in. Taiki claimed this new hairstyle made me look more feminine and elegant, but I refused to accept his lies.

I snuck a look at my reflection again; I could see the little purple lines trailing everywhere across my skin. My skin looked translucent, as I now realized I could perfectly trace out every one of my own veins. I looked sick.

I looked around the room, trying to find my small makeup case. I needed to remove those hideous circles from my face. Eventually finding the gingham patterned little container, I gazed back into the mirror, gaping and dropping the pouch immediately.

There, slouching against the wall behind me, was the entirely too tall horror. He leaned nonchalantly against the red wallpaper, not noticing that I had seen his reflection in the mirror. He held a sharp piece of glass protectively against his own chest, and I gasped when he realized I was watching him. He smiled a toothy grin, and I fought the urge to vomit when I saw the blood on his jeans. The rusty liquid dripped from the light brown hair that fell in his face, and it oozed and slipped it's way down his gaunt face. I grimaced and ripped my insides apart, hating myself for once thinking him attractive. Blood stains splattered themselves in random sections of his torn white t-shirt, and black leather fingerless gloves protected his hands from the glass.

A shiver flew through my spine.

I could see his reflection in mirrors.

I dashed towards the heavy oaken door, frantically trying to unbolt the door. Practically flying from the small enclosed room, I jumped straight into my Taiki's arms. I cried into his chest, clinging to his body as if it was the only thing that tethered me to this world. Taiki required no verbal explanation from me; Seeing my aura was enough. Rio looked around, abandoning her previous conflicts with Taiki and rushing behind the two of us, assuming Taiki to be her main means of protection. My mother, however, took on a completely different set of actions.

Snatching a push broom from her supply closet, she held it like a kendo stick, swinging it around into defense position and standing directly in front of the three of us. Braced for action, she pointed the end with the bristles towards the bathroom door. Taiki tapped her on the shoulder from behind.

"You do realize that it is not tangible, correct?" Taiki voiced, and she dropped the broom.

"How the hell do I kill it then?"

"It's dead already." He sighed.

"Kid, if that thing touches her, or pulls any Exorcism shit, I promise to freak out and most likely be absolutely no help."

"Good to know." He sighed.

"Reflections…" I breathed helplessly. Taiki's eyes darted to my face.

"What?"

"I can see him on surfaces that he casts a reflection on." I mumbled. His eyes widened.

"How… is that possible?" Taiki's breathing became more labored. "Isabella… I know you were the only one to escape from him in your family, but how did he die? What happened?" I hesitated.

"I… killed him." Taiki and Rio's faces hardened, and my mother's turned sympathetic. "He… I thought he was my friend…"

* * *

_"Hey beautiful." I heard the rugged voice call from my balcony. "Come to your window." He tapped on the glass._

_I practically glided to the sliding glass door, twirling around the room in the ostentatious birthday dress given to me by my mother. Almost throwing open the door, I greeted my guest with a large smile._

_"Hi Gabriel!" I pulled him inside._

_"Hey there Lizzy." I frowned._

_"Izzy. You always get my name wrong. You're so weird." I laughed. He didn't._

_He wrapped his arms around me, and attempted to kiss my neck, but I pulled away. It never seemed right. He growled._

_"How long are we going to_ _be playing these games Izzy?" He frowned._

_"What games?"_

_"You know what I mean Izzy. Nice girls don't ask guys to come to their rooms unless they plan on doing something."_

_"Doing what?" I had no idea what he was talking about._

_"Forget it. Call me when you grow up some." I didn't want him to leave._

* * *

_Gabriel was two years older than me; I felt honored that he had taken an interest in me. He was beyond gorgeous and he always had this edge to him that made him seem slightly dangerous. I didn't know if I liked this edge, but it had indeed attracted me to him. Still, my instincts always seemed weary of him. I chose to ignore it._

_He had approached me a month ago when I was studying at a restaurant. I had gotten hungry, so I had moved my studious tendencies to a booth in an old fashioned malt shop. I waited for my chocolate treat as I reread my chemistry book for the third time that day._

_"Hey beautiful." He cooed, taking a seat immediately instead of waiting for me to invite him to join me. He closed my chemistry book. "What's your name?" Brilliantly sharp white teeth glistened._

_

* * *

_

_That was months ago._

_I still had no idea what Gabriel meant by 'planning on doing something'. I did, however, want to prove that I was indeed grown up. I wanted to prove that his two year seniority over me meant nothing._

_"What… what did you want to do?" A toothy grin slunk it's way across his face._

* * *

_"No…" I mumbled, wanting to vomit from the smell of cheap cologne._

_"No." I said, this time louder, staring at the dress my mother had painstakingly sewn, now ripped and tattered pieces of clothing on the floor._

_"No!" I barked, feeling vulnerable in nothing but my underwear._

_"You said you wanted to. Don't lie."_

_"No! I didn't know this was what you meant!" I cried._

_"Too late." His eyes were hard, soulless._

_"NO! No means no!" I screamed._

_I heard heavy footsteps running up the stairs. My bedroom door slammed open. Words could not describe the look on my brother's face._

_"Izzy…" He said through gritted teeth._

_"Help…" I mouthed solemnly. Pure hatred washed through his veins for the horrid man pinning me to the wall._

_In one swift motion, the monster slung me over his shoulder, pulling a switch blade from his pocket. He made a line down my back, and blood oozed from the trail. I screamed out in pain. My brother shouted, and attempted to charge at Gabriel, but he then held the knife to my neck._

_"Forget everything you saw here." He said seriously. "Or you'll be sorry. I'm not going back to that damn filthy cell." The cold metal to my neck already made me feel dead inside._

_Gabriel threw me to ground, and I felt my wrist snap. He climbed down from my window, and my brother felt increasingly torn. He looked at me, then looked toward the balcony. His vengeful side dominated, but he placed a blanket on me before he leapt out the window. My body felt cold, even under the blanket. I felt shattered, broken even. Most of all though, I felt stupid._

* * *

_It was midnight. My brother had been gone for six hours. I cried into my pillow, blaming myself for everything. I heard the back door shut, and ran downstairs to finally greet my brother. My parents were waiting in the kitchen, waiting to scold him for staying out so late. I decided to hide and wait until his punishment was over before embracing him and begging him to never leave like that again. It was dark in the kitchen. I heard harsh yelling, and figured my father was arguing with him. Then I heard my mother shriek. That wasn't my brother at the door._

_More screams followed: My grandparents._

_I ran frantically up the stairs, silent tears streaming from my eyes. Everyone was gone, and it was all my fault. I heard my dog yelp downstairs; Even my precious Sugarplum died trying to protect me. I was completely useless._

_I hid in the bathroom, trying to silence my sobbing. I heard footsteps coming up the stairs. I held my breath when he walked into our small lavatory. He stopped in front of the mirror, and I thought frivolously for a brief second of his vanity. I looked around the bathtub I was hiding in, locating no weapon. I was tired of being useless._

_I improvised._

_I lunged out of the shower, grabbing a handful of his hair and bashing his head into the mirror. The blood oozed from his temple, though I attempted overkill. Taking the sharpest piece of glass I could find, I plunged it through his chest repeatedly._

_Timothy. Stab._

_Mother. Stab._

_Father. Stab._

_Grandma. Stab._

_Grandpa. Stab._

_Sugarplum. Stab._

_They never found my brother's body._

* * *

"They never even found Timothy…" My mother echoed my sentiments after I had finished my explanation to Rio and Taiki.

"That bastard…" I cringed, hearing Taiki swear for the first time. "He was probably on probation. No witnesses of his transactions could be left…"

Rio sobbed behind me.

I looked up towards where Rio's shocked eyes were focused on; A familiar devilish face smirked at me from the small mirror in front of us.

I wanted to throw up.

* * *

** Should I change the rating? Maybe? No? Yes? I don't know. Reviews people, reviews. **

** I wonder if Tim will be mad I used his name when he get back from those _army_ people. **

** Eh. I think I could have done more. This chapter made me sad, and not in a good way. **

**Darn.**

**I promise to be better next time. For now, reviews would help on how to make it better. **

**Mwah! ;o **

**Toodles. :D**


	7. Is It a Plane Or a Yellow Submarine?

A/N: My gosh it's been ages since I last updated this- I've been very busy. However, I'm getting back into my old writing habits and probably will have another chapter for you by the end of this weekend. Devy's been waiting ages for this.

I really hope you all like it. I think my story's getting a little more popularity... I'm excited. :D

Also, there's a bazillion million little plot twists in this chapter. (:

* * *

In any normal person's life, Christmas would signify love, compassion, hope, and possibly friendship. In my life, it meant my mother crashing mirrors with random objects and Rio and Taiki arguing over what to do. I wished immediately that I'd never been born, that way everyone could avoid the trouble I'd been causing.

"So how do we rid ourselves of this thing Mr. Expert?" Rio demanded from Taiki.

"I don't know. Usually, they won't rest until the cause of their death has been obliterated too." He looked in my direction, but I didn't look back at him. "But, many cases have suggested that if you wish to dispose of a ghost without it reaping the soul of it's murderer, we could have an exorcism and force the ghost into subsiding."

"An exorcism, huh?" My mother contemplated. "I'll be right back."

* * *

"We are assembled here on this cheerless night to perform the exorcism of Gabriel Luther Parker." My mother said cryptically. She had a towel wrapped around her head like a turban and wore a gypsy costume from a Halloween long ago. Taiki tapped her wrist in a reprimanding fashion and she flinched.

"Take that ridiculous thing off your head." Taiki commanded. My mother reluctantly complied.

"What can I do to help?" I asked timidly. Taiki went silent.

"Stay safe."

Figures.

* * *

The cryptic creaky stairs to the Izaku residence attic moaned and groaned under the weight of mine and Rio's bare feet. Our spoiled vulnerable skin rubbed against the sandpapery wood of the stairs, leaving numerous tiny scratches and abrasions. Rio and I remained alert and admittedly paranoid as we traveled to the floor above my only remaining relative and love. We were given the daring task of retrieving as many mirrors as possible that may have lingered in our attic. The flashlight trembled in Rio's tiny insipid hands.

One small window dared to allow sunlight into the room. It was the only light source in the dark void of an upstairs. Both our faces looked ashen as we inhaled the dusty ancient air. Our search remained fruitless until Rio found a small hand mirror in a vanity drawer. Neither of us would look at it's reflective surface as we wrapped it in an old cloth and traveled with it down the stairs.

We handed it to Taiki immediately after he returned to our view. He placed it facedown on the floor and began to light candles. He situated us in a circle around the mirror before flipping it upright. He grabbed my hand and squeezed it tightly. I looked sadly at him, and he attempted to give me a reassuring smile, but the uncertainty was evident on his face. Rio followed Taiki's example and slid her hand into my mother's, who in turn claimed my remaining hand. Rio and Taiki reluctantly grabbed hands.

We stared expectantly at the mirror, presuming something amazing to occur any minute. So, naturally, we were hugely humbled when absolutely nothing at all happened. Rio shot Taiki an irritated look.

"Why isn't anything happening Mr. Bill Murray?" She asked, a slight edge in her voice.

"Be patient." He scolded. Rio and I shifted uncomfortably in our spots.

More than fifteen minutes elapsed. Rio was seething what must have been quite a painful aura, and even my eccentric mother was beginning to grow bored of this experience. Taiki struggled to lead by example, but eventually succumbed to a yawn he had been withholding.

"Taiki, maybe he won't return for awhile…" I began. Taiki rubbed his temple.

"No, this doesn't make any sense. It follows no pattern… there's always a pattern that spirits follow…" I heard him grind his teeth in frustration.

"Taiki…" I placed one of my hands on his shoulder for comfort, but he shrugged it off.

"Are you absolutely sure… that it's targeting _you_?" He asked after awhile. I gaped at him.

"Of course it's after me! Don't you remember the game at school when it nearly sucked the life out of me? You think that was an accident?!" I ranted.

"I don't think any of it's attacks have been random. I think though that you aren't it's primary target. I think… You're the bait." He concluded slowly, allowing the words to sink in.

"Bait! BAIT?! I'M LIKE THE LITTLE SQUIGGLY WORMS YOU USE IN FISHING?!" I fulminated. "Then who's the primary target?" I struggled to understand where this was going.

"Izzy… Did you actually see Gabriel kill your brother?" His words cemented themselves to me like glue.

* * *

"Come now Rio, he had no idea that the outcome would be this way-" My mother attempted to calm my fuming friend.

"I was terrified! I THOUGHT I MIGHT LOSE MY FRIEND! AND YOU'RE TELLING ME THAT HE WAS WRON-" Taiki cut her off.

"I was temporarily overlooking small pieces of evidence, I was not wrong." Taiki stated indignantly.

"He's… he's…" I'd been muttering the same sentence fragment for what seemed like ages. I was hoping my mother or Rio might eventually backhand me out of my daze and back into the fresh air of reality. They hadn't seemed to notice their loved one's sanity slowly crumbling.

"Yes, Izzy, he's possibly still alive." Taiki said calmly before sipping his hot cup of tea from across the tiny kitchen table we were sitting at. "The real complication is us finding him. Obviously, our little spirit friend doesn't know either."

"What do you mean? How can he not know? He was the last to see him, correct?" Rio asked, anger dissolving to be replaced by curiosity.

"Yes, but since our little Izzy disposed of him, she harbored his spirit. Or rather, smuggled it. Spirits have been known to cling to objects and possess them. Most likely his spirit lingers in one of her belongings, and traveled here to Japan with her. I imagine he's been expressing his anger so frequently as a result of frustration. I'm absolutely positive he wouldn't mind polishing you off as you did to him, but from what you've informed me of his personality, I assume your brother did far worse than to damage his body: He probably damaged his ego. But, I doubt he fractured it. I'm assuming he shattered the young man's self-image completely. A being with that much arrogance would never dream of allowing him to get away unscathed." Taiki took another sip of his tea.

"Sadly, I don't believe these haunts will discontinue until we've performed a proper ceremony with your elder brother as our bait to force him out of his hiding. In short, I believe we must journey to America." He concluded his announcement with a final gulp of tea, swallowing it eagerly down as would a child with hot cocoa.

Obviously, we took the news rather well. And, of course, by well, I meant we completely revoked it, labeled it as nonsense, flushed it from our mind's list of possibilities, and deemed Taiki a lunatic. Well, at least Rio and I did. The one that should have been reveling in the news' absurdity was completely for it. Typical.

"Well, Izzy, should we ride coach or should we spring for first-class?" My mother asked innocently.

"You're cracked." I spat bluntly.

"You're right. You only live once. First-class it is! Rio, will you be joining us, or shall it only be us three?" She cocked her head to the side. Taiki tried to hide a smile at the sound of Rio's decline.

"I have school- So do they!" She pointed accusingly at Taiki and I.

"We'd of course be leaving immediately at the start of winter break. We would arrive back in time for your schooling." My mother chimed.

Rio obviously seemed to be the only remaining sensible one existing in this conversation besides myself. Taiki grinned in satisfaction, completely sure that she would never dream of accompanying us.

"Well, fine then. I of course have to be there to make sure Tammy doesn't pull any fast ones on poor innocent Izzy-" (at this moment in time I would like to point out that I am not a 'poor innocent' anything…) "- and I would never dream of missing the chance to be introduced to your brother!"

I looked towards Taiki.

I had never seen a smile drop off a person's face as fast as at that moment.

* * *

"She sells sea shells down by the seashore…" I heard the CD in Taiki's CD player speak slithery words into Taiki's ear, slowly informing him that you could not 'Learn English in Fifteen Easy Sessions Today'. I sighed, sadly predicting a long two weeks of translating for my Japanese friends.

"See sells sea sells done by the sea-sore…" Taiki struggled with the 'Sh' sound. I fought the sudden urge to blurt out 'Shy Sheila shifted shelves of shovels on her shift.'

"A yellow submarine… A yellow submarine… We all live in a yellow submarine…" I heard the familiar song float out of Rio's headphones in the seat behind me. Life everything else they could possibly think of that existed in life, they had managed to turn their attempts to learn into a competition: Who could learn the most English during the flight to the States. Rio's tactic was to learn by listening to stacks of music CDs that she had borrowed from the library. She claimed anything with English symbols on the front. Nobody seemed to have mentioned to her that the Beatles were British, not American. I wondered what a Japanese girl with a newly obtained British accent might sound like attempting to speak in perfect American-style English without any foreign accent. I chuckled.

My mother pressed her face to the windows like a small child before abusing the 'Call Stewardess' button for the umpteenth time. The poor blonde woman looked feverishly at my mother after being asked to bring her pancakes and ice-cream in the shape of Mickey Mouse.

We had almost missed our flight; Rio and Taiki's incessant arguing over who would sit where filled my mind and consciousness, and obviously my mother could not be counted on to keep track of when our plane would be leaving. The bickering continued, even when we were standing next to the seats, becoming an instant obstacle to any innocent passenger wishing to locate their seat behind us. Taiki eventually prevailed, causing Rio intense discomfort next to my mother in the row behind us. Every so often she would lean forward, checking on the location of Taiki's hands, asking a question I had no answer to about how the plane functioned, or inquiring about American culture.

Once, when I had fallen asleep, I happened to rest my head on Taiki's shoulder. Soon after, we hit a rough patch of turbulence, jolting Rio in random directions in her seat. The constant uncontrollable motions and swirling movements allowed Rio to learn something about herself: She had terrible motion sickness. After occupying every available space in her own, ahem, 'doggy bag', she decided it was a better idea to ignore the offer of my mother's brown bag, and instead lunge for Taiki's. Her malicious efforts were fruitful to her, as she did not hesitate it become mysteriously inaccurate with her aim and depth perception. I did indeed notice that I had been 'accidentally' bumped out of the way so that only Taiki ended up with a disgusting mess in his lap.

A silent conversation of eyes transpired when Taiki returned from the lavatory with a new shirt; Glares directed over my head at each other, followed immediately by a defeated raise of the eyebrows and a change in seating arrangements. Oh gosh, look! Rio was suddenly sitting next to me. What a surprise. I fell asleep to her chattering in my ear.

At nearly three in the morning, I discovered yet another small surprise: Taiki and my mother were having a swell little conversation about me. Rio was sound asleep, this time Oasis was in her CD player. I shook my head at the poor girl's misguided ways and listened in on their conversation, feigning slumber.

"…and he's uber protective! He'd seriously kill you if you ever hurt her. Also, I recommend you take up an interest in videogames. Oh! And when you're around the two of them, him and her come first, not you and her, even if you don't agree with it. And-" My mother rambled on as Taiki took notes. I wondered what exactly they were talking about.

"Oh, I've been meaning to ask, how far have you two exactly ventured? Because nothing further than a quick peck on her forehead would be permitted around her brother. Are you two using protec-"

…

I decided at that moment that eavesdropping was a terrible habit and to never do it again.

* * *

In the morning, my alarm clock consisted of more turbulence and an accursed bright light shining directly in my face from the window. I shook Rio awake, and we had toast and muffins, (cardboard flavored!), courtesy of the stewardess. At that point, I really wish I hadn't talked my mother out of purchasing seats in first-class.

Taiki, new to the epic experience of mediocre air travel, was seething when discovering they had lost his luggage. I was so lucky as to lose mine, which might have rid me of the object Gabriel was clinging to like a leech. Yay. It would figure I would be unlucky everyday other than the one day I wanted the System to lose my things and cause me irritation.

We exited the airport by taxi, as we had landed in New York, which possessed thousands of cabs, (The unluckiness kicked back in as I disappointedly realized we would not get to ride in the Cash Cab when no lights on the roof of our cab glowed). The ride to the hotel was brief, and I was happy when the bell hop relieved me of my heavy bags. Skipping naively behind my madly grinning, (scheming I might add), mother, we walked up to the hotel desk. Taiki and Rio sat on opposite sides of a couch near the entrance, staring off in opposite directions. My mind wandered as my mother claimed our rooms, not paying much attention to anything until a specific number came into the exchange of words.

"Two rooms?" I asked disbelievingly. "You're giving Taiki his own room?" She started to laugh.

"No. He's sharing it. Two to each room." She stated with a massive smile plastered on her face.

"Oh lord, you're making him and Rio share room? Without a referee! They'll kill each other!" She laughed at me again.

"No…" More smiling.

…

"You mean…" My jaw gaped.

"Mhm. Have fun."

I come from a very sadistic family. I truly hope was adopted.

* * *

Don't worry kiddies, the rating's gonna stay the same. ;P


	8. Say Hello To My Little Friends!

Disclaimer: Don't own Hana-Kimi. Blah.

Without further delay:

* * *

Hotels are a scam.

I had taken the liberty of spending the entire day gorging myself on the entirely overpriced packages of peanuts residing in the tiny mini fridges, (the ones my mother specifically told me were forbidden). It was out of revenge, but also out of nervousness. I was utterly terrified of tonight's potential events. When the rock bottom point hit and my stomach was as bloated as a hot air balloon, I decided to finally quit my consumption, (the fridge ran out of peanuts and I'm not one for cashews).

I made sure to only communicate with Taiki through Post-it notes on the mini fridge. If I was cautious enough to remain far away enough from the room when Taiki entered it he wouldn't sense my aura, (or take advantage of the fact that we were alone), he would assume the room arrangements weren't bothering me. He would simply read the little lies scribbled on the miniscule notes and journey to the pool, the gym, Rio's room, (Rio OF COURSE loved those constant interruptions), or some other room of the hotel, naively believing that I would be there.

Collapsing on the waterbed that my mother had requested specifically be in each of our rooms, I let out a super massive sigh and stared at the ceiling. What seemed like years floated by until a heard three impatient taps at the door. I groaned. I knew who it was.

"Isabella, I know you're in there. I saw the food wrappings in the garbage can earlier. Unlock the door." Taiki chided from behind the door.

The faintest of clicks resounded as I unlocked the door. I looked towards Taiki to see a nervous smile etched onto his face.

"You've been avoiding me. Don't deny it." He stated gently.

"I wasn't going to." I whispered.

He walked passed me into the bathroom. I closed and re-locked the door before following him. Leaning against the doorframe of the tiny lavatory, I crossed my arms and stared at my feet. Taiki was shaving and brushing his teeth. It was late, and considering his endless search to locate me had occupied the hours of sunlight, he was probably tired. I watched him from the corner of my eye; It was strange to observe him participating in these mundane tasks. Some part of me I'm sure knew Taiki was human, but it just seemed abnormal for me to see him doing such commonplace activities. Such human activities. He was a deity. Deities didn't have to shave or brush their teeth; They were always perfect. Suddenly, he did something I didn't expect: He undid his tie and began unbuttoning his shirt. I watched him as inconspicuously as I could, but I had to bite my lip to refrain from smiling. Nimble fingers traveled down the white material, revealing more and more ivory flesh in the process. Once the buttons were vanquished, the limp cloth fell from his shoulders, landing lifelessly on the cold linoleum. I watched with baited breath, following every curve of his impeccable torso. His slim build was enticing; I was the snake, he was the charmer. He hadn't yet noticed my staring, and he began to wash his face. I secretly hoped that he routinely slept without a shirt on, but then scolded myself. I knew this would happen; That's why I had attempted to stay away from him.

Breaking the spell he had over me, I wandered back into the room and rummaged through my suitcase. I heard the bathroom door shut, and figured Taiki was changing into his sleep attire. I found a decent pair of shorts and a T-shirt to sleep in. The shirt had 60s pop art graphics on it. It made me smile. I changed incredibly quickly, paranoid that Taiki might immerge from the bathroom and find me changing. I slipped on a pair of black and pink striped socks as well. Pulling out my necessary sleeping buddies, (alligator, polar bear, seal, and rooster stuffed animals), and crawled slowly into the bed. The wobbly waterbed jiggled beneath me as I struggled to find a comfortable position. After five minutes of epically fighting the furnishing, I gave up, and in defeat, knocked on the bathroom door. Only a few seconds passed before Taiki opened it, leaning against the doorframe.

"I'll only be a few more minutes. I just have to gather up the remainder of my belongings before I travel to your mother's room. They have a couch they're not using that I can sleep on." He said casually.

"What?" I asked in disbelief. I gaped. I got easily confused when he was shirtless. Sue me.

"You do not wish to sleep in the same bed as me. I understand. You're afraid of what might happen if we're alone together without the risk of an unwanted visitor entering the room. It's why you've been avoiding me all day, correct?" He smiled at me, but I could tell he was hurting.

"Taiki…" I started.

"No. It's okay. I understand." He started to shut the door, but I stopped the door with my foot.

"You can stay." I whispered.

"You don't trust me." He frowned.

"Yes I do."

"But you avoided me all-"

"I trust you. I just… don't trust myself around you." I mumbled.

We both grew silent. The frown disappeared from Taiki's face, but it was replaced by a look of indifference. We both stared down at our feet for a few moments before Taiki broke the silence.

"I'll be out in a few moments." He said quietly. I nodded my head and turned to leave but I heard him snicker before saying one last thing: "You're a tease in those shorts."

Men. All perverts.

I adjusted them so that they didn't seem as short after he shut the door. What? I'm self-conscious.

* * *

I heard the door open again. I didn't need to brush my teeth or wash my face; I'd already taken care of such matters before Taiki had returned to the room. When he did reemerge from the lavatory, his hair was soaking wet and hanging lifelessly in his face. He had taken the liberty of showering. The water dripped down his torso teasingly before hitting the waistband of his sweatpants. I gripped my sleeping buddies tighter; Miss Seal is pretty loose. You can't trust her around someone as sexy as Taiki and not expect her to make a move. Taiki was carrying a towel out of the room, but he launched it at a pile of clothes at the south side of the suite. He looked at me and stopped. I was lounging on the middle of the accursed bed and biting my lip, stuffed friends in hand. He smiled and glided towards me. I held my breath.

"You have a very interesting aura tonight Miss Isabella." He said suavely. God did I wish that for just one night, I could read HIS emotions instead of the other way around.

"Really?" I nearly squeaked. My gosh was I lame. He took a seat on the edge of the bed and smirked.

"Really. You do. Though, those pangs of nervousness keep emerging. Anything I can do to make them go away?" He was moving closer.

Then, in one of my most impressive feats of embarrassment yet, I squeaked at the impending contact and fell off the bed. Taiki tried, but he couldn't help but let escape a small chuckle as he helped me up. My poor buddies were laying in various positions all over the floor. I began rescuing them, one by one. Unfortunately, this meant bending down. Let me stress to you how short my shorts were: Taiki got a pretty little view of my posterior. The end. Even more unfortunate for me was that he did not stop at a view. Mr. Ghost Whisperer wasn't one for watching. He was a real go-getter. When those spidery hands gave me my first goose, I squeaked, dropping my little pals once again in the process. I feverishly rummaged the little critters once again, returning to the stupid bed and placing them comfortably on it before they could be abused again. My whole face must have been completely red. I crawled under the covers, disgruntled when the annoying jiggling furnishing rolled me to it's center once again. I growled and Taiki chuckled.

"I take it you dislike waterbeds?" He asked, amused.

"They frustrate me." I grimaced, removing the covers once again and crawling off the bed. "Normally I would suggest that I sleep on the floor, but it's December in New York and it'd be dreadfully cold." I pouted and Taiki frowned.

"Why are you sleeping in shorts then?" He asked, confused on my choice in attire.

"Why are you sleeping topless?" I shot back. He smirked.

"Oh, so your reason for wearing shorts is the same as my reason for choosing to abandon a shirt? Well then, I must say it's working." He smirked.

"What's working? What's your reason for not wearing a shirt?" I cocked my head to the side like a puppy.

"To tease you."

An Area 51 force field couldn't save him from the lunge I made at him. My lips captured his as my hand drenched itself in his slick hair. The free digit holder traveled to his wet torso, memorizing through touch how every part of him felt. His surprise barely lasted a fraction of a second- He was participating almost immediately, one hand gripping my lower back, the other tangled in my tousled fiery locks. The evil bed rolled us to it's center with him emerging on top. I was disappointed to lose my control, but I didn't mind too much. He nibbled at my lip, which greatly surprised me that he would so eagerly ask for entrance. Giving him my permission, I opened my mouth ever so slightly, allowing him admission. A wild creature entered my mouth, exploring everything like mad and urging my own little Hell raiser to participate. It complied without complaint, following eagerly behind his own slimy tongue. Taiki was… happy. Exploitation was evil, but morale was for squares.

Bucking my hips forward, Taiki's eyes grew wide and his lips left my own. A satisfying grunt left his lips, and I smiled at he moved towards my ear. He nibbled at it a little before hissing "No… None of that."

"Why?" I asked innocently. I did again. Same response. "Don't you like it?" I bit my lip to keep from giggling.

"You know why. Stop teasing me." He hissed again.

I grinded my lower regions against his own. He groaned even louder and rolled off of me, collapsing on his back next to my body. I let lose a giggle. He shook his head at me.

"You, Miss Isabella, are a cruel, cruel temptress." He was glistening with sweat. I stopped giggling; It was killing him not to touch me.

"I think… I ruined your shower." I frowned.

Leave it to Taiki Kayashima to do the least expected thing ever at that moment in time: He began pouting. He looked like a small boy, with a puckering bottom lip and sad puppy eyes. He laid his head at an angle on his arm and looked at me sadly. It had to be the cutest thing I had ever seen, but at the same time the strangest. Taiki Kayashima doesn't pout.

"Do you hate me?" I asked sadly. He shook his head no.

"Do you think I'm a tease?"

"Teensy bit." He replied. "But it's not that. It's just… Well, I've no eloquent words to describe how I feel when you do that. It's not gentlemanly how I react to that. It's uncivilized how I react. It's… animalistic." He looked towards the ceiling.

"I'm sorry. I'm terrible. Worse, I think I'm as sadistic as my mother." I scoffed. He laughed.

"Sort of kinky." We both laughed this time, but my reason was that I could never imagine him saying the word 'kinky' in my wildest dreams. Taiki was full of surprises.

"So introduce me to your friends." He said, motioning to my stuffed animals.

"Oh! This is Alimagator. This is Twinkie. This is Snowball Polly, and this is Miss Seal." I smiled stupidly at him, as he shook each of their hands, (Fins? Paws? Claws? Wings?), uttering a formal 'How do you do?' to each.

"I've had each of them since I was little. I-" He pecked me on the cheek and I blushed sincerely.

"You're absolutely adorable, you know that?" He smiled, wrapping his arms around me.

He sat up on the bed, pulling me along with him. He rested his chin on the top of my head after placing each of the stuffed animals in my lap.

"Tell me the story of how you got each of them." He mumbled into my hair. He was tired. I could tell.

"Well, one time at band camp-" He rolled his eyes.

"Start with the Alligator." He chided.

"Well, this one my brother gave to me when I was really little…" I started my story, and continued on with the others, smiling as Taiki slowly fell asleep. My bedtime stories were quite effective.

I carefully placed him on a pillow and covered him up, kissing him on the forehead and whispering a goodnight to him. He looked so sweet and innocent while he slept. I tucked Snowball Polly under his arm as he slept. He snuggled up to it immediately.

* * *

I woke up around nearly three a.m. Taiki was still asleep, snuggling close to my stuffed bear. I smiled as I crawled out of bed, locating a pair of Taiki's sweat pants and pulling them over my shorts. I snuck out of the room, locking it after I left, and scurried to the room directly next to ours. Knocking on it lightly, (which was pointless because the person I was afraid of waking up could sleep through an elephant stampede), I waited as my mother answered the door. She silently invited me in and me walked past a soundly sleeping Rio to sit at the small table in their room. My mother already had hot cocoa ready for me; She knew I'd be here.

"Couldn't sleep, could ya' kiddo?" She whispered.

"Not really. Taiki's pretty much dead though." I said endearingly.

"No duh. You probably wore him out. I haven't seen you exit that room all day. Wink wink." She grinned.

"Shut up. You haven't left your room all day, so how would you know? And besides, I'm not like you. I want wearing white at my wedding to actually mean something." I hissed.

"Oh don't go there. Bringing the Ex-husband into the convo is taboo. TABOO!!!"

"Shh! Keep it down!" I hissed.

"Oh cool it. She's not waking up anytime soon." I sort of had to agree with her on that one.

"Besides, Uncle Jay is cool. We used to visit him all the time."

"Really? All the way in Detroit?"

"He moved from Detroit ages ago. He's living here in New York now, just a few blocks from my old house. Didn't you know that?"

"Oh god, I'm in the same city as that guy? Eck…" She moaned.

"Oh quiet you. He didn't do anything to you. You left him."

"He didn't satisfy my needs."

"You wanted to become a tightrope walker for Christ's sake!"

"And he didn't support me! He always looked down on my ideas!"

"Because they were absolutely mental ideas! You're crazy!"

We heard a light tapping on the door. My mother got up and went to open it. It was an incredibly drowsy Taiki.

"You can't have her right now. Go away. I'm not sharing."

"Mom!" I rushed to the door to keep her from closing it in his face. I ushered Taiki in. He was still holding the bear. I smiled.

"I got worried when you weren't there. I worry. I'm a worrisome guy. Worry worry worry…" He droned on, nearly collapsing in one of the chairs.

"What do you think of tightrope walkers?" My mother asked spontaneously. Taiki didn't answer; He was too out of it. I kissed him on the forehead. "Come one, we're returning to our room."

"Okay…" He said sleepily as I guided him back to our room.

"See you in the morning Mother."

"Whatever. Mother sounds to old. Call me Mom." She called back.

Taiki instantly fell back to sleep once he felt secure that I wouldn't leave the room again. I snuggled up next to him until I fell asleep.

* * *

When I awoke in the morning, Taiki was in the shower again. I waited for him to finish before taking one myself. When I reemerged, he had already ordered room service breakfast. We ate pancakes before stepping outside onto the little balcony, (with the wonderful view of traffic), to talk.

"Why did you awaken last night?" He asked lightly.

"I don't know. I just felt like it." I sipped a cup of cocoa. It wasn't snowing out, so staying bundled in a blanket kept me warm in the cold. Taiki had a coat on. We needed the fresh air.

"Did you discuss anything important?"

"Just her ex-husband."

"I didn't know she was married." He marveled.

"He was a pretty okay guy, but he couldn't really handle her shenanigans. She was too wild. When he finally started restricting her from doing crazy things, she got depressed and started resenting him. She left him after four years of marriage."

"Did your family still stay close to him?"

"Yeah, me and my brother visited him all the time."

"He lived in New York?"

"Yeah, just a few blocks from our house."

Taiki shot me The Look, the one he gets every time he receives some sudden epiphany.

"Isabella, where do you think your brother might have gone after he realized what happened to your family?"

* * *

"I refuse to visit that man." My mother stated defiantly.

"Your nephew is in danger. So is Izzy. You have to." Taiki said indifferently.

"He's unreasonable! Once he thinks something's unsafe, he won't even consider letting you do it!" She seethed.

"Sounds like someone else I know." Rio rolled her eyes in Taiki's direction.

"You get to watch Tim's reaction to Taiki." Rio baited.

My mother grew silent.

"Do you remember if I packed the video camera?" She asked me. I groaned.

* * *

Reviews make me happy. Happy Skye= Faster stories. Hint hint. Seriously, you've no idea how happy reviews make me. Especially long ones. :D


	9. Stop Looking There Taiki

MISSION DELTA MINOR MINOR SUPER AWESOME COOL

Rio: "Sizzle Izzle, I have the target in sight. Over."

Izzy: "Affirmative Rio. Stop calling me Sizzle Izzle. Over."

Rio: "Negative Sizzle Izzle, I enjoy the code names. Right, Grand Master Specter? Over."

Taiki: "Stop calling me that."

Rio: "You forgot to say over. Over."

Ginny: "Hey, Rio! I'm hungry! Over."

Izzy: "Mom, you just ate. Over."

Ginny: "I was asking Rio. I have bacon, and some coffee, but I'm in the mood for something sweet. Over."

Rio: "I have a muffin, and orange juice. Over."

Ginny: "Affirmative Rio. I propose a trade. Over."

Taiki: "Attention three-year-old 1 and three-year-old 2: Quiet. We need to advertise for reviews. Over."

Izzy: "Leave a review for the all mighty master Skye Leigh! Over."

Ginny: "For every second you don't, somewhere a fairy drops dead. Over."

Taiki: "That's Peter Pan. Stop using false claims. Over."

Ginny: "Shh! It's starting! Over."

* * *

I own nothing! Hana Kimi stole them from my brain! ;P

* * *

With slightly more equipment than a small film crew, my mother was ready to embark on our epic quest to the south side of the city. My breakfast consisted of two energy drinks, which, much to my companions', (subtracting my mother), dismay, caused me to become quite frenziedly volatile. Bouncing on the heels of my feet, I sprung forward in leaps, prancing ahead of the beings walking at a morning's pace behind me. Realizing how far ahead of the group I had marched, I jetted excitedly backwards, bumping into Taiki, who shot me a reproachful gaze.

"Do you realize why we forbid you from consuming such drinks?" He asked me tiredly. He wasn't a morning person.

"To keep her from becoming a bouncing blunderer bumbling boisterously backwards?" Rio supplied.

"Bouncing blunderer bumbling boisterously backwards! Bouncing blunderer bumbling boisterously backwards! Bouncing blunderer bumbling boisterously backwards!" My mother and I chimed the tongue twister in unison. Taiki shook his head.

"I like her better this way." My mother beamed. "That's why I gave them to her." Taiki looked unbelievingly at her.

"It would figure." He rolled his eyes.

"Taiki, loosen up." I smiled. "Seeing the dead doesn't force you to act dead." He scoffed and looked offended.

"How do I act dead?" He said irritated. I knew I offended him, but I refused to lose my chance to make a point I had so longed to get across to him.

"By not acting lively." I said, taking his hand and pulling him into a run with me.

Giggling the entire journey, I skipped happily with his hand in mine in the direction of my Uncle's house. Rio and my mother raced eagerly behind, fighting to keep up with my sugar-induced speed. Flittering past the homely houses and green splashes that at normal speeds would be lush bushes, I practically pranced to our destination, dragging Taiki along behind me. My grin grew larger, even bearing shy teeth so rarely used in my smiles, as I knew we were approaching. However, it dropped immediately when we reached the boarded up barren building that no longer resembled the inviting abode I had pictured in my memories just moments before. The dwelling's dull grey paint was chipped and cracked, the windows were broken in some places and boarded with cheap plywood in others, and the door was practically playing tug-of-war with it's last remaining squeaky hinge. The porch looked like it would cave in at any given second. I gaped at the grim sight. What had happened when my brother left our house in pursuit of vengeance? Had he come here, having his final fight with Gabriel in my Uncle's residence? Had my Uncle assisted in the fight? Who had won?

So many questions were always left unanswered. I stared down at a puddle of melted snow on the sidewalk, only to see Gabriel's hostile face slowly begin to appear. He glared at me, silently demanding that I appease his wishes and grant him an audience with my brother immediately. I glared harshly back, shooting my own demands that he explain what happened here with my intense stare. He vanished when Taiki began to speak next to me.

"Devotion. Longing. Hurt. Sadness. Anxiety. Desperation. Submission. Hopelessness. Fear. Morbidity. Salvation." Taiki said each word slowly, with meaning. "Each word is a chapter in a story. All of these feelings existed in the house once. They each provide a piece of a tale."

"Devotion, longing, and hurt. He didn't want to divorce from her. He loved her, and didn't believe in divorce." I said, tears welling up in my eyes.

"He loves her. He doesn't believe in divorce. Stop using past tense. A death did not occur here." Taiki informed, grasping my hand. "Continue reading the story."

"Sadness and anxiety. He was depressed from losing her. Crushed."

"Go on."

"Desperation, submission, and hopelessness. He… was thinking of suicide?" I asked at him, my glossy eyes searching for answers in him own. The familiar pools of black ink offered none.

"Possible. We can't afford to make assumptions." He said slowly.

Rio and my mother appeared behind us, panting and attempting to catch their breath. Their antics stopped, however, when they gazed at my expression and the house. Rio looked confusedly at Taiki, who said nothing. My mother's bottom lip quivered.

"No…" She whispered. "No." She spat.

"Ginny-"

"No!" She screeched, banging her tiny fists on Taiki's chest. Taiki said nothing, but continued to allow her to assault his torso, appearing to not be very affected.

"No…" She sobbed, tears steaming down her cheeks in grief for the man she once loved.

"He did not die here." Taiki said after her battering had ceased, causing her to stare frenziedly into his eyes, searching for any lies. After assumedly finding none, she wiped her eyes and looked at the ground, embarrassed of the scene she had just performed.

Silence gripped our throats eagerly, permitting none of our quartet to speak for a few minutes. I stared at the buildings surrounding us; It was early morning, barely seven a.m. An elderly woman shuffled out of the apartment adjacent to the shambled house. I called to her, and she looked kindly in my direction. I approached her and hoped she could answer a few of my questions.

"Excuse me, ma'am?" I said formally.

"Yes, sweetheart?" She had a grandmother-like quality.

"What happened to that house?" I asked solemnly.

"Ah. Yes. The young man that lived there- Well his wife left him. She was a wild woman I heard. She left to travel all over the world and ended up living in the Middle East! In Japan of all places!" She shook her head disapprovingly. I could sense that she was a woman who condemned divorces. "Anyways, it drove the poor man sick with sadness. 'He loved her so much' my husband would say- him and the young man went golfing together- and she just left. The man stopped doing anything. Lost the will to. His ex-wife's family would come and visit him a lot- my husband said he talked about his niece and nephew all the time- but then something horrible happened! The family was murdered! Not too far from here either. We've actually been thinking of moving.

"But you would never guess! His niece survived! She saved herself and got the killer! My husband wouldn't tell me how, (he told me it was too morbid for my lady ears to hear, he's sweet like that you know), but the young man didn't get custody of his niece! Because he wasn't a blood relative, she was shipped to Japan to that wild woman. It about broke his heart. He stopped going golfing with my husband- stopped leaving his house for anything really. He'd lost everything, poor thing. He slowly even lost the will to live. He lit his house on fire about three months ago, which was about two months after he lost the family. He couldn't take it, poor thing.

"But my husband, you know, he saw the fire, and he called the fire department, yes he did. He called them right when it happened and they rushed right over. They busted his through his door and found him in the downstairs bedroom. The fireman who saved him said he didn't want to go though, but the fireman didn't listen, no he didn't, and it took three of them to scoop him up and carry him outside. He was kickin' and hollerin' when they took him outside- I know, I was sitting right here, right here on this stoop. Finally, they dragged him out here, and the ambulance showed up real quick. They put him in there, yes they did, and they drove him to the hospital. My husband was worried though- I told you he was sweet- He asked them where they were going to take him after he was treated. They told him they were gonna take him to a mental health facility, and try to help him. Try to give him a purpose. I just hope he's all right. My husband worries night and day, yes he does, he says to me every night- You know what he says to me? He says 'Beth, I hope that young man's all right. I hope he found something to make him feel alive again.' Yes'm, he says that every night."

She smiled at me, but then gave me a questioning look.

"Now who are you missy?" She asked curiously.

"My name is Isabella. I'm his niece." I smiled courteously. Her white eyebrows flew up her forehead in surprise.

"Really now? Well, nice to finally meet you missy. My husband would love to meet you, yes he would, in fact, why don't you come inside and I'll make you some nice warm hot cocoa-" She looked in the direction of the trio still standing near the house. "-Ask your friends to join us too. And is that- if you don't mind me asking- her?" Her eyes squinted at my mother.

"The 'wild woman'?" I chuckled heartedly. "Yes, that's her. I promise though, she's not all that bad. She's… spirited… but she really does have a big heart. She just… isn't good at being caught in a cage." I said endearingly.

"Ah, I see, she's independent." She nodded. "Well, go get them silly!" She smiled a grandma smile and I beckoned my group to come towards the house. They nervously shuffled inside behind me, my mother looked unsure towards the elderly woman as she entered: Although the old woman hadn't immediately recognized her at first, my mother had immediately registered the identity of our host, and expected hostility in the invitation. She looked relieved when the woman offered her an reassuring smile after noticing the trail of tears on my mother's cheeks.

***

"Thank you for your hospitality. This hot cocoa is quite enjoyable." Taiki said respectfully.

A dark furred cat rubbed against his leg on the floor below. He reached his hand down and scratched behind his ear. It let out a soft purr.

"It's not a problem at all young'un." The elderly woman, Beth, cooed.

We heard the lock on the door click open and the hinges squeal unattractively. Winter light burst into the room and a cold wind drifted and settled in, along with it an elderly man we assumed to be Beth's husband. He surveyed the room, acknowledging our presence with a nod, before turning to Beth with a grin.

"Looks like we got some strays, aye Beth?" He laughed at his own joke.

"This is the niece of that nice young man whose house burned down and her friends." She motioned to Taiki, Rio, and I. "And this-" She pointed to my mother. "-is his ex-wife, who won custody of Miss Isabella over here."

He opened his mouth to say a snarky comment but Beth signaled him a look that said 'if you say anything that embarrasses me, I'll kill you.' He abruptly shut his mouth. Beth gave Rio and my mother a strange stare, which undoubtedly made them both highly uncomfortable.

"Rio, Miss Ginny, would you both be so kind as to stand up for me?" She asked sweetly. Although confused, they complied.

Beth stared at them for a moment before nodding and whispering something to her husband, who immediately left the room.

"You both are exactly the heights my daughters were." She beamed proudly.

"Really?" Rio asked.

"Yes. Unfortunately, my eldest left this Earth- cancer runs in our family- and my youngest left without saying goodbye- ran away with some boy. I do have several dresses and such that I couldn't bear to throw away that would fit you both quite nicely. Would you care to have a try with them?" She smiled gently.

"Of course." They responded together, both eager for new additions to their wardrobes.

"You two wouldn't mind if we stepped out of the room for a teensy while, would you?" Beth beamed.

"Of course not." I smiled a toothy smile.

Beth exited the room, followed my entirely too zealous companions. The room became rather lonely as the only noise in the miniscule kitchen resounded as ticking emitted from the wall clock. Taiki patiently sipped his hot cocoa, although I knew he secretly longed for his caffeinated tea. The morning had already tired him.

I played with my cup of cocoa, shifting it back and forth in my palms, letting it freely slide small distances across the table. Taiki seemed amused by this action, as I had caught him watching me numerous times out of the corner of his eye. Unfortunately, a small knick in the table proved to be my downfall. When the cup of steaming liquid chocolate caught the small cavity in the wood, it fumbled over the side of the table, splattering my white button down shirt. Taiki sighed, beginning his epic search for paper towels, but I already knew it would be no help. I rapidly began unbuttoning the shirt, hoping it didn't travel through to stain my undershirt as well. Relieved to find that it had not, I bundled up the soiled shirt and tossed it onto the seat of the chair adjacent to me. I heard Taiki quietly gasp next to me.

"Please," He said, beginning to remove his t-shirt. "Put this on." He tossed me the shirt and looked immediately in the opposite direction.

"Of course not. It's freezing. You're not walking around without a shirt on." I scoffed, throwing the garment back at him. He grimaced.

"I know it's freezing. That's why you have to wear the shirt." Red painted his ivory cheeks.

"I'm not cold." I stated defiantly.

"…uhm…uh…" He uncharacteristically stuttered. "I think you are." The red intensified.

A cruel epiphany hit me.

"Oh." I said, crossing my arms to cover myself. "You need the shirt though. You might get sick. I'll just keep my arms crossed." I attempted to reassure him with a smile. He groaned.

"I wonder if they have a blanket you could borrow. Where did they put our coats?" He spoke quickly, clear discomfort on his face. I watched as he attempted to inconspicuously place the cushion from the chair next to him on his lap. It was too thick to fit under the table. I giggled as he swore under his breath.

"What?" He asked. The blush had taken over his face.

"It's not that bad." I said. "Just look at my face."

He looked in my direction, concentration evident on his features. He bit his lip in defeat as his eyes slowly wandered to my chest. He abruptly turned his seat around, not willing to face me.

"I'm sorry… I must've picked up a thinner b-"

"Don't say that word."

"What word? Bra?"

He cringed.

"Yes, that word."

"Taiki…" I wrapped my arms around his neck, leaning in to whisper in his ear. "It's really not that bad."

"You had to choose a low cut garment, didn't you?" He scoffed. "Leaves absolutely nothing to the imagination… Never imagined that they would be-" He caught himself and the red returned to his cheeks full force.

"They would be what?" Curiosity ate me alive.

"Nothing."

"Tell me."

"No."

"Tell me."

"No!"

"Tell me or I'll sit on your lap!" I threatened. He winced.

"They're a lot…" He said quietly, refusing to finish his sentence.

"They're a lot what?"

"They're a lot… _larger_ than I imagined…" He said, almost in a whisper. "You're so skinny so…"

I could feel my face burn red with embarrassment. Taiki looked over his shoulder to check if I was still breathing. I timidly smiled at him before shyly looking away. I playfully punched him in the shoulder.

"Hey Taiki, stop looking at my boobs." I laughed. Taiki processed the remark before finally deciding I was just teasing him and smiled nervously.

We heard footsteps from the other room, causing Taiki to instantly swerve his chair around. He required the table for… concealment. I shrunk down in my chair.

Rio and my mother pranced into the room, dragging behind them huge sacks of clothes. The pair beamed with excitement over their finds. Beth smiled cheerfully behind them. The two performed a mini fashion show for Taiki and I. I applauded and laughed, happy that no one had asked questions about my apparel. Taiki sat awkwardly next to me, forcing smiles to them. Eventually my mother informed us that we would be leaving soon, as Beth had informed us of where my uncle would most likely be found. The two shifted the bags of garments onto their backs, beginning towards the door. As Rio approached the exit, however, a hat fumbled out of her bag. As she didn't seem to notice, I reached down to retrieve the piece of raiment. We heard a loud thump on the other side of the room. Everyone turned to notice Taiki, who had walked into the edge of the table, apparently distracted by something. He had tripped and fallen to the floor, a fresh blush on his cheek.

I wonder what distracted him.

* * *

Cliiiiick the pretty purple button now please!

Sorry for the extremely long wait. I really planned to get this out sooner. It's literally been sitting in my computer for ages. I'm so lazy...

Anyways, thank you for all the reviews! They make me smile sososososo much! Continue sending them please!

Semester ends next Friday. Then the distractions end! You guys get stories all summer! YAY!

-Skye


	10. Bad Rio, Bad! D:

I don't own Kayashima, or Hana Kimi. Epic sadness.

However, I'm thinking of making a oneshot or starting another series with a different OC with Taiki when this is over. What do you think? One shot, New series, or a second series that continues after this one? Mhmmp.

REVIEWS!!!!!!

I LOVE YOOOOU!

(plz?)

* * *

Unfortunately for us, we had hit an absolutely horrid dead end. We had followed the directions Beth had presented to us, walking into a wide range of problems. Beth had pointed us in the direction of a deserted fairground. It was nearing the end of winter; The location we had arrived in had not been used for months. New York didn't exactly thaw very quickly either. The bistros dimmed as a fury of snow began whirling from the sky again. Our quartet collapsed on an icy public bench, completely defeated. The metal beneath us rejected our warmth, pushing it aside and replacing it with an iciness that chilled us to the bone. None of us felt particularly garrulous and instead huddled together in a desperate and feeble attempt to retain our heat.

Regardless of whether or not I had a guardian angel, or an impatient ghost pushing me was beyond my concern. At the time, I was simply overjoyed to find that an obliging flyer had fluttered past to batter into my knee. Reaching down to view the advertisement, I grinned to realize it was a schedule for what events would be performed during every month this year. Bouncing off the bench and nearly knocking over my comrades, I spun gleefully on my toes, smiling my wildest. Practically prancing, I bounded back to the bench once again, causing my companions to stare with confusion.

"You see this Gabriel! You have to wait until June! Ha!" I bellowed.

The wind howled and whipped at my form, lashing out at my body. It felt like Gabriel was throwing a temper tantrum.

***

The first performance of the Crazed Companions Circus would be in May, but my school's summer break didn't begin until June. I found it particularly ironic that my uncle would join a circus after forbidding my aunt to become a tightrope walker.

Our flight back to the bustling American city would be tomorrow. Forever the procrastinator, my mother had waited until the night before to finish, (begin), packing. I had spent the entire day searching for numerous items she wished to pack for the trip. We would only be staying for a few weeks, but despite this, all the months leading up to this point had been completely focused on the short time we would be spending there. The bait, the guardian, the psychic, and… Rio… All of us had been anticipating the sweet summer break.

We had arrived back in Japan at the end of January, unhappy to resume our role in our daily lives. Taiki's dittoing of the protectiveness my brother had shielded me with didn't waver even in the slightest. Rio and I returned to school, less than eager to absorb the information we were expected to begin learning. My mother was… less than cordial about returning to work. If anything, her upsetting behavior caused by returning from the trip almost empty handed caused more turmoil for her co-workers than peace. They were more eager for her vacation in June than she was. The knowledge that her ex-husband was living the life she had longed for added the frosting to the cantankerous cake.

February was the absolute worst. On the eve of St. Valentine's Day, Taiki had been invited over for dinner. My mentally unbalanced mother tossed a condom almost casually into his lap. His eyes grew large and shifted towards me, expecting me to inform him of the correct response. Ginny had pranced and giggled around the house, proud of the discomfort she had inserted into her environment. Taiki eventually removed the unwelcome object from his lap, sliding it across our cluttered table and placing it gently underneath an envelope filled with junk mail.

By April, I had gotten into the habit of referring to my aunt/mother/recidivist as simply Ginny. She had resisted at first, but it was much simpler to remove the titles and use only her first name. However, she quickly decided that if I could add or remove titles before her name, she could do the same when addressing me. Sometimes I'm the Impressive Iz, other times I'm The Brilliant Bella. My default name, however, lacks such ridiculous adjectives. Usually, she just calls me Pigeon, or Pidge, for short. Whenever I scold or reprimand her in any way, she grins and tells me to cease 'squawking'. I told her pigeons coo.

Since the beginning of May, I had become particularly obsessed with studying marine biology, especially that of swamps. My fondness for alligators increased with this obsession. Taiki had bought me several books loaded with factual information on the Florida Everglades. They were snuggled comfortably in my carry-on bag. I was saving them for the plane ride to America.

I spotted the last item Ginny was searching for: the matching twin to her lime green flip flops. I struggled to remove it from the niche between the wall and her mattress. Ginny had entered a buying frenzy, zealous to purchase summer attire. Her lack of a tan was beginning to depress her though. I sympathized for her; I was absent of the ability to produce a lasting tan as well. Taiki didn't seem to mind though; He liked being in the company of ghosts.

I heard a knock on the front door, and assumed it to be either Taiki-kun or Rio. I rolled across my bed, flip flop in hand, raced towards the door. Upon opening I realized it was Taiki and practically pulled him inside. I frowned at his attire.

"All black?" I grimaced. "You're going to burn up." I scolded.

"I won't complain." He said smoothly, gracefully sitting on our cluttered couch. "I see you haven't finished packing yet…" He motioned to the array of clutter scattered around the room. I grinned.

"Ginny went to the store to pick up a few things. I'm finishing her packing for her so she doesn't forget." I smiled, placing the flip flop next to it's matching companion.

"Has Rio arrived yet?" He asked curiously. "What are the sleeping arrangements?" He added.

"Rio isn't here yet- She's stopping to pick up dinner at a fast food restaurant. She'll be a little late." I frowned. "I don't exactly know the sleeping arrangements… Either you or Rio will be sleeping on the couch, the other…" I blushed furiously.

"The other?" He inquired.

"The other can share my king-sized bed with me…" I looked back down at the flip flops, avoiding his gaze.

"Ah. I'll take the couch." He said decisively.

His decision startled me, and out of reflex I looked back up again towards his face. Unfortunately, his eyes caught me in their clutches, locking me away and forcing me into a stupefied stare complete with trembling lips. He raised an eyebrow.

"That is, unless you want me to sleep next to you." He didn't smile; He just stared probingly. I felt helpless under his gaze. Rio saved me by bursting through my front door. She never knocked.

"Ah, I see Tammy arrived here okay." Taiki said nothing, and Rio rolled her eyes.

Rio had several large packages in her hands. I wondered how much she thought we actually ate until I spotted bags from several stores. They weren't shops that sold food. She had purchased last minute items? I wondered why, considering she had informed me that she had finished packing several days ago. I gave her a questioning glance, only to witness her blush and look away. I frowned. She only did this when she had done something wrong and didn't want to tell me. She had bought gifts so that she could butter me up first.

"Rio…" I started towards her, squinting my eyes suspiciously. "What did you do?" I demanded. She sighed and looked down.

"Eh, Taiki-" She used his actual name. This meant that it would annoy him too. "Nanba, my imp of a nephew, told Nakatsu that I was going on the same trip you were over the summer break-"

"I never told Nakatsu I was going on a trip. He'd want to come, and that's simply not permissible." Taiki interjected. Rio gulped.

"I know. Mizuki apparently asked Nanba if I was doing anything over the break. He told her, and Nakatsu asked why we would be going on a trip together, and Nanba said I was with Izzy-" She looked down, apparently unhappy with having to inform us of the next part of her confession. "-Nakatsu cornered me, wanting to know where we were going. I told him the States, and he couldn't fathom why. He forced out of me that Izzy was in trouble and Taiki was helping to save you and your family and…" She trailed off, looking at her toes. "He said that he wouldn't be a true friend if he didn't help you save the one you love!" She blurted out.

I vaguely remembered Taiki's roommate. I remember him being relatively dim…

"Nakatsu can't help. He doesn't have tickets to the U.S." Taiki resolved. "Besides, it's probably too late now-"

"…this was a week ago. The day before school let out…" Rio confessed. Taiki radiated irritation.

"How did he afford tickets?" Taiki demanded.

"Well…" Rio began again. I couldn't handle anymore surprises. "He told Mizuki. Mizuki wanted to help too, and her parents would be in New York for performances her mother agreed to choreograph. She called her parents and they immediately express mailed three plane tickets to her-"

"Three?" I asked, dumbfounded at this series of events.

"…Sano didn't want Mizuki going on some dangerous quest without him. They'll be on the same plane as us." Taiki, normally calm, oozed annoyance and surprisingly fury. Rio turned to me, desperate for some support against Taiki's wrath.

"You'll love Mizuki, she- er- he-" Rio stumbled over her words. I was confused.

"Oh stop it I know. I can read Mizuki's aura." Taiki snapped at Rio. "I won't tell I know. Bigger problems here." Taiki rubbed his temple, calming down.

"Mizuki pretended to be a boy to get into an all boy's school. She did it to be near her love, Sano." Rio swooned.

"How romantic!" I giggled.

"I know!" Rio smiled back.

"Are they meeting us at the airport tomorrow morning?" Taiki cut through our glee to forcibly drag us back into reality. Rio hesitated.

"Actually…" Rio began.

Surprising how a simple knock on the door can drive a normally completely calm young male such as Taiki completely berserk.

"You sent them HERE?" He hissed at Rio.

"…I also brought food…" She whispered.

I sighed and answered the door. A gush of wind and strong arms knocked me off my feet. I opened my weary eyes to see bleached hair and exuberant eyes in my face. I received a fierce hug and an apology before being pulled back to my feet.

"Kayashima's little woman! You're tinier than I remember… We're here to help! I can't wait to go to America with you! We'll be best friends, just like Kayashima and me!" Nakatsu beamed.

A timid but friendly looking young person stood behind him. I assumed her to be Mizuki and the taller one to be Sano. I rushed forward to greet them.

"Hi! Welcome to my home! Ginny will be home shortly." I smiled. I was actually excited to have more companions on this trip; It gave me a break from Ginny's antics and Rio and Taiki's bickering.

"I'm Mizuki." She introduced herself. "And this is Sano!" She motioned to him.

"You guys don't have to help me." Taiki said bluntly behind me.

"Nonsense!" Shouted Nakatsu. "If there's some ghost out to get you and your brother, we're aching to help!" Taiki frowned.

"We don't have sleeping arrangements for you… I'm already on the couch. The house is quite small." Taiki informed.

"I'll sleep on the floor." I chimed. Taiki looked appalled.

"This is your house." Taiki slipped his hand over my own. "And they showed up without your invitation. They can sleep on the floor." Taiki was still sore.

"…how about Rio, Mizuki, my aunt, and I sleep in my bed? It won't be that crowded. We're all small. And it's king-sized! And then Sano and Nakatsu can sleep in Ginny's bed, and Taiki can sleep on the couch. It'll be a little crowded, but I don't want anyone on the floor."

"…I'm really sorry." Rio whispered glumly. She looked miserable.

"It's okay Rio! Really." I smiled reassuringly. I hugged her and showed everyone where to put their things. I hoped Ginny was in a good mood.

"You're an exceptional optimist." Taiki said when we were alone. "You weren't even faking being okay with everything. You were genuinely happy…" Taiki said softly.

"I like them. Your friends are so nice. They care about you a lot, you know." I smiled at him. He smiled back.

I was about to turn away, but spidery fingers grasped my face. His soft hands held me in place, brushing a stray hair out of my eyes. My hair had grown quite long. Taiki brushed his fingertips against my cheek, and slowly he pulled me closer. His face was so calm- focused. I couldn't help but to marvel at the soft pools of ink that were his eyes as they drew closer.

Taiki's lips were soft.

His hand still kept my face in place, but it's partner had traveled down to wrap around my waist. He was always concentrating on the task at hand, which made him into a very focused kisser. He was exceptionally gentle, and every time he kissed me he seemed to make everything travel in slow motion: Slow moving kisses, slow moving caresses, and the slowing of thoughts in my head. He dizzied me up, dazzling me with his patience and focus. He pulled me closer, only to push me slowly down onto my bed. I was thankful everyone else was in the kitchen; As much as I valued them, I didn't want them interrupting this moment. Taiki's hand played with my hair. He stopped kissing my lips, causing me to give off a disappointed mew. He brushed all the hair out of my face in order to properly kiss my forehead. I smiled up at him. He slipped off his shoes.

"You're beautiful." He said matter-of-factly before pecking me on the lips.

He nuzzled his nose into my neck. I wrapped my arms around him as he began kissing and nibbling at my collarbone. He softly caressed my sides, making me purr. I felt his teeth against my neck, nibbling before finally leaving his mark. It would show vibrantly against my pale skin later, but I was happy to bear his mark. He kissed me on the lips once more before rolling onto his side.

"Taiki?" I began nervously. I was afraid of the answer to the question I was about to ask.

"Yes?" He answered, smiling at my skittishness.

"How is it that you can be so intimate towards me while it took you ages to become comfortable around your friends? What's so weird about me?" I asked, looking away. He chuckled and pulled me into him. Taiki had a slim build and wasn't very tall, but I was even tinier. I was short and admittedly slim, but my body fit perfectly into him. He felt warm.

"There is nothing strange about you other than your relation to your aunt. I'm intimate with you because you are the first woman to ever believe me to be more that a spirit weaver. When you originally met me, your reasons for concerning yourself with me weren't my powers, but your desires to get to know me. I get ridiculed often by my peers. They believe me to be some demonic curse caster. You… talked to me. And you exhibited that you enjoyed my company. I grew to enjoy yours, only before I realized what was in front of me. Never before had I felt such an overwhelming desire to make something belong to me. I became greedy. I wanted you to like me as much as I liked you. I realized I had to give myself away to get more of you. I'd never opened up to someone as much as you before. However, keeping you with me was always the top priority, so I refused to risk it by being my normal closed-off self. I wanted you to open up for me, so I opened up to you." He looked at me before adding one last piece to his speech. "Also, you were incredibly attractive. I am only human."

I smiled before pecking him on the lips. He gave me the warmest smile I had ever seen from him before gingerly pulling me closer.

"You were the most attractive male I had ever seen." I wrinkled my nose at him. He looked surprised at my comment. "I saw you at the fair, mesmerized by your talent. When you had helped me into the health room, I was almost glad I had the wind knocked out of me. It gave me an excuse to speak to you. You had such a serene face, with eyes I frequently get trapped in. You were perfect. I was overjoyed to know that I got to spend time with you. Rio was even happy for me too, (of course this was before you two started fighting)."

I crawled on top of him, wrapping my arms around him and playing with his hair. His breathing hitched as I nibbled on his ear.

"I like you more than you liked me. I love you Taiki Kayashima." I whispered in his ear. I watched as a fierce blush appeared on his cheeks and his normally calm face exhibited shock. "Don't act like this was a surprise." I said after watching his expression. He relaxed again after I laid my head down on his rising and falling chest. I closed my eyes as we peacefully remained in that position.

Until Nakatsu popped his head in the doorway.

"Oi! Kayashima. Sorry to interrupt- I can see you're sorta busy- but someone's car is pulling up by the house…"

I shot off of the bed, beckoning Taiki to go greet Ginny with Rio and prepare her before she found the three new visitors in her house. Nakatsu, Mizuki and Sano were to wait in the living room until being introduced. I peeked out a hallway window to view outside, noticing several bags of clothing and accessories. Good. She was surrounded by frivolous material possessions. That always made her happy. I scurried back to my bedroom.

I listened as Taiki and Rio explained to her as she was walking into the house. She seemed to be taking it surprisingly well. Taiki and Rio introduced her to the three new traveling companions- I could mentally picture her swoon after meeting Sano, (perverted old biddy)- and question my whereabouts. I sighed and slipped out of my room.

"Hi." I said awkwardly. I winced, hoping she wouldn't notice anything strange.

"Hi Pidge. I see we got some new arrivals. I'm sort of happy. Means you have more friends than just the Ghostbuster and the Firecracker. I need help unloading the car, can you- Why the hell are you wearing a fleece turtleneck in early June?" She questioned. I squirmed under her gaze.

"No reason." I laughed nervously.

Taiki grinned proudly behind her.

* * *

My sister Danni is trying to talk me into a Bleach fanfic. I wanna do Ulquoirra. :D

He be cute.

Ichigo fanfic maybe with Orihime slight Rukia/Renji.

Or Urahara? :D With an OC or maybe Yorruichi, (spelling? I'm too lazy to look it up). (Cat lady. There. Blah.)

I dunno. I wanna monopolize myself and do multiple fics over the summer. I gots lotsa spare time. :D

Wooh! Off to drink energy drinks and wreak havoc!

Share your thoughts on this story and possible story requests!

Byyyyyyyeeee ;D


	11. Clown Town Or Bust

I felt soooo bad!!! I seriously thought that I had posted this in like, July. O.o

But yeah, this one is almost 5000 words, and has lotsa events, so be happy! :D

Also, there is no lemon. The rating stays (T) k thnx. v.v

There's just lotsa innuendoes. .

But circus fun! :D YAYZ!

It really really really made me wanna go to the circus. o.o

Also, I don't own Hana Kimi.

Although, I'd totally be a freakin' sweet owner of Hana Kimi. .

Regardless, IT BEGINS!

* * *

I stared out the tiny plane window, watching the once imposing buildings grow smaller and smaller. The cooling system on the plane was outstanding, and I could feel shivers run up my spine. I shuddered suddenly, the cold a complete contrast from my hot sunbathed skin. I began to lightly tremble, and I could feel Taiki watching me from the corner of his eye. He was biding his time, waiting for the plane to settle before he pressured the stewardess to present him with a cup of hot tea. I suddenly wished I had brought my heliotrope colored blazer in my carryon bag.

Taiki directed his attention to Nakatsu, as Taiki was sitting between the frenzied male and I. Nakatsu dug his fingers into the arm rest of the chair, and I feared he might tear the leather. He bit down on his lip with excessive force, causing it to bleed. I doubted he enjoyed plane rides.

I stared down at my feet, wanting desperately to kick off my Mary Janes. I rather disliked shoes, but unfortunately I had resolved to wear my completely impractical rainbow stockings. This meant I couldn't wear flip-flops, as I insisted on ridiculing those who wore socks with sandals. I fiddled uncomfortably in my seat, feeling the uninvited cold air drift up my skirt. The aircraft finally obtained stability, and Taiki took the immediate opportunity to gingerly ask for tea.

Rio and Mizuki could be heard chatting behind us, and I turned around to see Ginny fast asleep with the aid of a mask covering her eyes. I giggled as her mouth hung open and a soft snore began. Sano sat in the row in front of us, as he had traded tickets with Mizuki to prevent her from having to sit with strangers. I noticed also that the two strangers he was positioned next to happened to be attractive teenage boys who kept looking behind them towards Mizuki. Sano's grip tightened on his arm rest. I doubt it was for the same reasons Nakatsu was asphyxiating his chair. I smiled, happy that Mizuki had someone who cared for her so much.

A few strands of hair fell in my face, and before I could brush them back, a familiar hand had already completed the action. Taiki hadn't even seemed to look up from his tea. I suddenly felt self-conscious, unaware that he could watch me without making it notably visible. Ginny's snoring grew louder.

* * *

"Wow! New York's so big!" Nakatsu said in wonder as he gaped at the sight of the city.

"What time do we have to be at the hotel?" Taiki asked calmly. I tried to walk closer to him, but my insecurities returned as he gave me a cautious look, causing me to stumble and nearly trip.

"Fifteen minutes, but it'll only take us five minutes to get there if we take the subway." Ginny responded.

She spotted an staircase winding down into darkness, and quickly grabbed my hand, leading the way. I was dragged lifelessly behind, feeling particularly rag dollish. Our train was to leave in three minutes, and Ginny wasted no time shoving our motley group into the packed subway car. We all held tightly onto the sticky metal bar, all of which except my mother, who insisted on placing a hand wipe on the bar before letting her slender fingers grip it.

I had an uneasy feeling in my stomach, and turned to see a pair of unfamiliar eyes staring at me. A disheveled male who looked to be around nineteen or twenty sitting in the far corner of the car was staring intensely in my direction. Feeling my face flush, I looked down at my colorful ankles timidly. I watched Taiki shuffle his feet to look in the direction of what caused me to become downcast. I looked towards Taiki's face to catch a glimpse of his reaction to the strange man staring. It wasn't happy. I watched as the two males' eyes shot daggers at each other, a frown deeply embedded into Taiki's features. The train suddenly stopped, jarring the two out of their staring contest. The environment around me seemed to be thick with hostility, and I was thankful when Ginny latched onto my wrist once again to drag me like a puppy behind her and out of the car. I turned to look behind me one last time, only to see the young male stop and stare at me as I left.

* * *

We arrived at the hotel on time, and I was relieved to know that there were no surprises this time: Mizuki, Rio, Ginny, and I would share one room, while Taiki, Nakatsu, and Sano would allocate another. We quickly got settled in our rooms, discussing what to do next.

"The first show is tonight." Ginny said while making coffee. "It'll be at seven. It's four now, and it'll take a half an hour to get there, so we'd better leave at six so we can obtain good seats."

"As you wish." Taiki said while calmly sipping his tea. I watched him unsurely from across the room. He knew something that we didn't, and I could tell.

It was soon time to leave, and this time, no unusual individuals stared at me on the ride there. The queue lines weren't too long, and we all waited anxiously for our tickets. I bit my lip, feeling that same unnerving chill that grew inside me whenever Gabriel was readying himself for an episode. I shivered and felt like vomiting. I wanted the ghostly entity out of me immediately. Taiki looked at me intensely, knowing already what was running through my mind. I quivered beneath the might of his gaze, feeling smaller somehow. I needed to know the information he was hiding from me immediately. Before I could ask, however, I noticed a familiar piece of body art on one of the bare backs of the circus workers. My brother had engraved his favorite phrase down his spine on his eighteenth birthday. The worker's face was covered by a whimsical yet eerie mask and wore only jeans, most likely because of the heat. My legs crumbled beneath me, disbelief evident on my features. My companions all rushed to assist me back to my feet, and I watched silently as the one I believed to be my brother seemed to stare directly in my direction. He lingered there for a second before another worker beckoned him to go assist elsewhere.

Taiki grasped my cold hand in his own, leading me to the ticket booth. We purchased our tickets and our party found seats together for the show. The lights dimmed and I searched for any sign of my brother in the opening act. He wasn't there. Gabriel hissed within me, knowing how close we had been to making the contact needed to transfer him out of my body.

The clowns bounded about below in the rings, making fools of each other and performing comical tricks. Two particular jesters, one short and stocky, the other tall and lean, introduced the others. They beamed and picked fights with each other, sending the crowd into a roar of laughter. The rest of the jokers swarmed out and did a clumsy dance, choreographed seamlessly to appear rough and rowdy. A female clown in purple with several flowery prints tap danced out and challenged another male clown, signaling a comical dance off. Children leaned forward in their seats, giggling happily. The female purple clown won, and the comical entertainers all came together to ready themselves for their final number. The spotlights beamed a gleaming light towards them, and each finished up with a finale involving butter cream pies, a halibut, and twenty seven chickens. Don't ask.

The next act was a lovely brunette woman walking across the tight tope. Ginny watched her enviously. The woman's balance was perfect and she made it across the rope with ease. She was followed by three trapeze artists, all male, who completed acrobatic flips and swings with such skill that I doubted if they were human. It was then Taiki's turn to look to the performers with a wondrous expression. His yoga positions seemed tame compared to their flying flexibility.

A petite woman in a gold sequined dress then appeared on stage, and fog flooded the ring. Her skin was paler than any complexion I had ever seen, and her hair was flaxen. She had a thick amount of shimming eye shadow on her dark eyes, but it was strangely flattering to her small features. Her lips pursed into a nervous smile before she opened her mouth to reveal one of the purest voices I had ever heard. As she sang, the males in the huge area all seemed to hang on every word, transfixed by the siren song. However, even the females eyes lit up, as we were all charmed by the tiny woman's modest voice. Just as she finished a particularly impressive high note, her opposite in every way floated down on a swing being lowered by a few clowns.

The newcomer was a man that paralleled the tiny woman. He had noticeably dark skin and jet black hair, and wore a superfluous purple blazer with a black pant, white shirt, and green tie with pink polka dots. He had several body piercings, and had white costume make-up on over his eyes that contrasted strangely against his skin tone. He hopped down from the swing and landed with grace unexpected from someone as lanky as he. A deep baritone flowed from his lips, and the two began a duet. Their song was slow and sweet, and they walked slowly towards each other the entire time, but never seemed to touch.

He made his way steadily towards her, attempting to reach out and take her in his arms, but she would always move slightly, just enough to be out of his reach once again. Just as she stopped avoiding him, and they were about to take each others hands, the music changed to an upbeat jazz piece and the two began a fast paced swing number together. The tap-dancing clowns returned to the ring, and a few fire-breathers appeared as well. Acrobats cart wheeled in, and the excellently coordinated number kept us all smiling. The performance finished with a bang as the tiny woman in gold leaped into the air, being caught by her purple-clad partner.

Several other acts were performed, but I noticed no sign of my brother or my uncle, and figured he might be masked as well as my brother. We exited the extra large tent, only to find that there was a nostalgic 'Freak Show' set up to elaborate on the circuses of an earlier generation.

We wandered through the exhibits, and I watched my friends faces light up with amazement and sometimes flinch with disgust at the displays. I floated behind them, barely taking note of anything. The sickness in my stomach grew worse as I knew Gabriel was getting impatient. Taiki lingered with me behind the rest, eyeing me cautiously, careful to make sure Gabriel didn't try to suffocate me to find escape as he had done the second time Taiki and I had met. Ginny noted my foul mood, and was careful not to tease me. The atmosphere around me seemed thick with disaster as Gabriel came closer still to his goal. We immerged from the line of exhibits to the exit, but Ginny stopped us. She looked frantically about, and I realized she had spent the show the same way I had: Searching. Disgruntled that her ex-husband was nowhere in sight, she turned to leave, but bumped into a masked worker. She said excuse me, but he remained silent, moving only slightly to get out of her way. He turned to walk away and immediately I caught a glimpse of my brother's tattoo drifting away.

The cold feeling inside my stomach grew stronger, and I felt my throat twist, causing the simulation of choking. I began to gag and fell backwards, feeling my body hit the ground with a loud 'thud'. Instantly, Taiki was at my side, lifting me off the ground and into his arms. He swore long and fast in Japanese before everyone began to panic, beckoning for medics. I shut my eyes and tried to sleep, scared of the pain that might remain if I stayed awake. I heard more footsteps and someone shouting for everyone to move aside.

"Everyone! Get out of the way! Where is sh-" The voice was male. "…that's my niece!"

* * *

"Isabella? Isabella sweetie it's Uncle Jay. Please open your eyes for me sweetie. You're gonna be okay." A gruff voice called me back into consciousness.

"Mmm… It's cold…" I mumbled incoherently as my eyes fluttered open. There were relieved sighs all throughout the room.

"You gave us quite a scare there." He smiled slightly, and I suddenly noticed a scar across his eye.

"Uncle Jay!" I sat up and hugged him, and he smiled and hugged me back. "What happened to your eye?" I asked, looking at the foreign scar.

"Just a few flesh wounds." He joked dryly, motioning to the scars, scrapes, and burns on several places of his body. "That's what happens when you work in a circus." I hugged him again.

"I missed you so much. We have so much to talk about. We came all the way from Japan to see you!" I said, motioning to my friends.

"Ah, I see, Ginny's cooking that bad? You could've just ordered take-out." He joked. Ginny feigned betrayal and hurt behind him.

"We come all the way to see you, and you insult me!" She said melodramatically.

"Well then, what exactly have you come to see me for?" he asked, a quizzical expression plastered on his gruff face. "Not that I'm not happy to see you."

"We need to know… where my brother is." I blurted the last part out in a whisper.

"Ah, I see." He paused, a serious expression appearing on his face. "You know, he came to my house one night, all scratched up. I asked him if he'd been in a fight, seeing as you know how hot-tempered he can be. He just said that some guy had tried to hurt you, and he'd taken care of it, and that the guy wouldn't bother you anymore. He stayed the night, and the morning after we'd watched the news and figured out what happened. You were pretty brave. I'm proud of you. My little fighter." He nudged me in the arm. "The moment he heard, he started packing up his things to rush over there, but, you see, he couldn't leave the house. Two thugs were spreading lighter fluid all around my house. We assumed it was some friends of the low life that tried to hurt you, out to get revenge. They probably weren't too happy with their buddy gettin' beaten by your big brother." He winked at me.

"So I rushed to the phone and called the police and all that lot, and Tim was rushing about, trying to develop an escape plan. I wouldn't have any of this nonsense about not leaving me behind, so I pushed your brother out the door and told him to run to safety. He argued with me, but I locked him out. To be quite honest, it was six in the morning and I wasn't really ready to deal with that type of shit that early in the day. So Tim went out the back door, and the two morons with the lighter fluid didn't see him, so I ran upstairs, trying to find my gun- I promise I wasn't gonna shoot them, just scare them a little. Well, I found it, but the punks had already lit the stuff up, and the house had caught to burning. I watched the punks leave from the bedroom window. Anyways, the fire department showed up and kicked down my door. They saw the gun and I guess they decided that I was apparently suicidal. They practically tackled the gun out of my hands and dragged me outside. I kept trying to tell them that they needed to go track down those kids, but they wouldn't listen. They pulled me out and told me I was delusional- My nephew was nowhere to be seen in the house and there were no signs of any delinquents outside. They shipped me out to the hospital to check me out, and then suggested that I check into a mental hospital. Doctors- We're all quacks." He grinned.

"Anyways, suggestions to us are more like demands, and your brother had no idea of where to find me, so I was dropped in some mental health facility to make sure that I was alright in the head. There I met a certain pyro- Mathew over here." He gestured to one of the fire breathers, who nodded awkwardly. It was then that I noticed several of the performers were here in the tent with us. "He told me that he had a brother in this circus, who had told him that the moment he checked out of the hospital, he had a job here at the circus waiting for him. Well, with all the dangerous stunts that occur here, I imagined that they might be in need of a doctor, so we made a deal to come here together." Mathew smiled, and I noticed the baritone male singer in purple pat Mathew on the shoulder. I concluded from their dark skin and familiar gestures that the purple baritone was Mathew's mentioned brother.

"But low and behold- who should appear at the damned institution to bust me out but my hot-headed nephew." He said endearingly. "Ole' pyro over here was free to go, but had been waiting on me, so we added Tim to the group. Clown Town or bust, right? So we showed up here, and were greeted with open arms. I'm the medic here, Mathew's a fire breather, and Tim is just a helping pair of arms. You might've seen him already, but he usually wears some corny clown mask- He's so paranoid that the thugs from before might try to harm our friends here that he rarely shows his face. He's such a worrier. I keep telling him-"

"How could you?" Ginny barked accusingly, pointing an angry finger at my uncle.

"Ginny, honey, I know we should have told you where we were, but Tim didn't wanna put Isabella in danger and-"

"No no, not that. How could YOU tell ME that I couldn't be a tight-rope walker and then JOIN A FREAKIN' CIRCUS!?!?" She snarled dramatically.

"Oh. Well. You see, it's all very complicated and-"

I took the liberty of wandering out of the tent before the argument could commence. Everyone seemed to follow my cue as we all cowardly snuck away from the bickering. We stood outside in the darkness as we listened awkwardly to the cricket sounds and faint quarreling. Mathew looked at me timidly from the corner of his eye, and I realized how young he really was. He looked to be around nineteen, but seemed incredibly shy. His brother looked towards him and then back towards me and smiled.

"You already know my little brother Mathew here, but I'm Jacob. Jacob Jacobi. I know, our parents were cruel. But this is my lovely wife Elizabeth Ferruh." He introduced, motioning to the blonde. She smiled and shook my hand.

"My name is-"

"Isabella." Mathew blurted out loudly. He instantly blushed and looked down towards his feet again. Taiki's eyes narrowed. "Your uncle talks about you a lot." He explained. I smiled.

"And these are my friends Rio, Taiki, Mizuki, Nakatsu, and Sano." I chirped happily, motioning to each one as I said their name. They all grinned, (with the exception of Sano's strained smile and Taiki's almost unnoticeable glare towards Mathew), and greeted each of the performers. The other miscellaneous entertainers introduced themselves as well, and we all conversed lightly. Elizabeth pulled me aside, however, and voiced her concerns.

"Forgive me if I seem to pry, but I'm quite the worrier and would feel much more comfortable if you were to lie down and sleep for awhile. You took quite a fall." She voiced with a thick British accent I hadn't noticed in her singing. I smiled, and decided it was best. Taiki hovered nearby, more uneasy than ever with my brother supposedly close by. Elizabeth noticed this and smiled, beckoning him towards us.

"Would you like to stay with her? You two seem rather close, so I assume you are seeing each other?" She made the statement into a question with her tiny timid voice.

"Yes, thank you. That would be quite accommodating." Taiki said politely, and I was very proud of his English.

We followed her to yet another large tent, not too far from the one we were previously staying at. There were a few beds and trunks of personal belongings inside, so I assumed it belonged to Elizabeth and Jacob. I thanked her repeatedly for her kindness, and sat down on the bed. She smiled warmly provided me with a pair of shorts and a t-shirt to sleep in before she left the tent, allowing me and Taiki time to be alone. I kicked off my shoes and pulled off my stockings, and Taiki waited outside to allow me time to dress. The shorts were blue plaid print and amazingly comfortable, and the t-shirt had a peace sign on it with the phrase 'Make Love, Not War' written beneath it. I smiled and alerted Taiki that he could reenter. He sat at the edge of my bed and sighed. I leaned forward and placed a slender hand on his arm.

"What's wrong?" I asked worriedly.

"Long day." He muttered, and I frowned.

"You should sleep then." I smiled.

"Too much on my mind right now to sleep." He rubbed his temples. I scooted closer and rested my head on his shoulder. He looked down at me and smiled.

"And now I have to worry about all the American boys here developing crushes on you." He sighed, but I pouted.

"Nonsense." I declared.

"Clearly not. I witnessed the looks you received from Mathew." He said with a tint of irritation.

"He was shy. Clearly nonsense."

"Clearly not."

"Nonsense."

"Not."

"Nonsense."

"Not."

"Non-" Taiki silenced me with a forceful kiss as he placed both hands on either side of my face, pulling me closer. I protested for only a few seconds before accepting the lost cause and participating in the kiss. He slowly pushed me down onto the bed before letting one of his hands grip my waist and the other provide him with balance as he hovered above me on the bed. It was a slow and wavering kiss, as he was noticeably tense from the strain of the day's events. He seemed to fluctuate between possibilities- take it further, or end it now- and I could almost hear the thoughts flooding through his head. He wanted to touch me more- I could tell- but he knew how weak I was, how defenseless- how undoubtedly willing to do whatever I thought would make him happy- and how could he be wrong? He could extract my reaction to see it in his mind almost before it happened- He was psychic.

But Taiki was too nice- too polite- to ask me for such a thing.

He wanted it though.

My eyes fluttered opened as I pulled away, and he looked at me, confused as to why he was undoubtedly reading fear from my aura. I wrap my arms around his neck and pressed my forehead against his, looking into his deep dark eyes that always seemed to hold all the answers, but were never willing to share them. He looked at me with contemplation, and I decided not to try to read his expression, but instead to try and express my own feelings in a way that he could understand. He wrapped his arms around my waist and I made tiny circles with my finger on his chest.

"Don't stop this time." I whispered timidly in his ear. His eyes widened in shock and his grip on my waist loosened. "I belong to you- Make me yours." I continued, resting my head on his shoulder and looking up towards his still astonished face nervously. He looked at me, his eyes analyzing me for any signs of a lack of sureness or any insecurities. He gulped, and pulled me closer.

"Are you sure?" He asked seriously, composure returning.

"Yes. Very." I mumbled into his neck.

He smiled and placed me gently on the bed below him, hovering above me before gingerly taking my lips with his own. He pulled his jacket off and I tugged his shirt over his head, watching him flinch when the cold air hit his skin. He leaned back over me and I wrapped one arm around his neck while the other clumsily massaged his torso. He kissed me more assuredly, exhibiting more forcefulness than he had during any other passionate endeavor. His dark hair hung in his face and I smiled blissfully into the kiss. Taiki's slender spidery hands made a venture to foreign lands as one crept up my stomach and timidly- almost delicately- rested on my breast. I arched my back and mewed. Almost instantly Taiki's hand recoiled, suddenly unsure. I smiled up at him, urging him to continue. He smiled back, confidence renewed.

"Hey. Get your hands off my sister." An angry voice hissed from the entrance of the tent.

My eyes shot wide open in shock as I looked towards the doorway to watch my brother peel off a motley clown mask. The face underneath it was a familiar one, but instead of the kind concern I was used to, I instead saw an enraged glare in Taiki's direction. Taiki went rigid and sat up on the bed, searching for his shirt. He found it and pulled it over his hand before standing and attempting to extend his hand forward to introduce himself. I stopped him however, and placed myself in front of him, signally that this was not the time for introductions. Taiki looked humbly over my shoulder towards my brother, as I withstood my barrier, making sure that my brother could not lunge towards my boyfriend and strangle him. I looked towards my brother with mixed feelings of fear for my loved one and joy for my brother's return. I took a few timid steps towards him before giving in and lunging towards him in a great hug.

His anger dissolved momentarily as he wrapped his arms around me to embrace me, holding me close and thanking God for our reunion. He continued to glare at Taiki over my shoulder, a gesture that didn't go unnoticed, and kissed my forehead.

"I've missed you so much!" I beamed, tears welling up in my eyes.

"I've missed you too." He smiled. "Now…" He said, turning towards Taiki. "Who's your friend?" He hissed, a sadistic smile stretching across his face.

* * *

Review and stuff! :D

It makes me happy!

I'm already working on the next chapter, I just didn't know I hadn't posted this. It's been ready for like ever. o_o


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